We're The Same
by hunterofcomedy
Summary: AU. Ichigo is off to college. However, his life is permanently altered when he meets a certain petite, raven-haired Nekojin named Rukia. IchiRuki - Complete
1. Prologue

We're The Same

Prologue

Summary: AU. Ichigo is off to college. However, his life is permanently altered when he meets a certain petite, raven-haired Nekojin named Rukia. IchiRuki

Disclaimer: I own no right to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author Note: A special thanks goes out to my good friend and fellow writer, Vi0letButterfly! This story is dedicated to you for helping to get my work posted for everyone to see! You're the best! XD

* * *

><p>"No one's better than anyone else, Ichigo."<p>

Ichigo Kurosaki's mother had told him since he was very young that no matter how different someone else was, it was wrong to judge them for it. A lesson Ichigo would learn to embody after his mother's passing.

Ichigo lived in a world that had difficulty accepting others for what they were. For example, his natural orange hair had earned him more trouble than he'd ever wanted. Fights, ambushes, insults…they were his daily routine.

Despite all this, Ichigo held fast to the lesson his mother had taught him, especially when it came to others. Standing up to thugs and miscreants became a staple for him. His name did after all mean –The One Who Protects.

Ichigo was raised in Karakura Town; a well-sized city that was home to a variety of different people and races.

Among these races were the Nekojin. The only separation between human and Nekojin were, of course; the cat ears and tail, along with many feline habits.

To most of the world, Nekojin were a lower class of beings. Mainly because humans were the dominate species while the Nekojin were slight in number.

To Ichigo…that was bullshit. True, he'd never really met a Nekojin before but he'd certainly heard the rumors: Nekojin were adorable but ruthless, seemingly innocent but corrupt, and certainly not equal to that of humans.

However, Ichigo decided to withhold on judgment until he actually met one. It sickened him that so many people had such horrible things to say about the Nekojin when they didn't really know anything about them. Ichigo could sympathize, he may have been human but his orange locks made him stand out just as much as a pair of feline ears.

Unfortunately, many did not share his views. Prejudice against the Nekojin was well-known but hardly ever spoken off. Nekojin had the same rights as humans in every way but that didn't stop humans from hating them.

This is the world that Ichigo was born into; a world that had little respect for the differences of others. For the most part, it didn't affect him. The high school he graduated from had no Nekojin. So when he moved to Tokyo to attend college it was the culture shock of a lifetime.

Although Tokyo had a reputation of mistreatment of Nekojin, Ichigo was surprised at the number of them he found when he'd arrived.

Even on his college campus he saw them walking around, talking with friends, and generally living life just like any other normal college kid. Although they were few and far between.

It wasn't until this point that Ichigo realized how interesting the Nekojin actually were. And, for better or worse, he was about to head into the thick of it.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Welcome Readers! Hope you all are enjoying the exposition. Remember, it's needed.

I will be updating two chapters of this story every week on Wednesday until it is completed. Tune in each week for new materials. This is my first IchiRuki fic and I'm proud of it!

Please Review and Thank You for reading!


	2. New Kid

We're The Same

Chapter 1: New Kid

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>What a day! Even after it was all over, Ichigo could barely believe it all had really happened.<p>

He had arrived in Tokyo and gone to the address his father had told him about. Apparently, his father, Isshin, had lived in Tokyo previously. He'd even attended Tokyo U. In fact, Isshin had met his future wife, Masaki, while attending classes there.

During their time there, Isshin had befriended a candy shop owner named Kisuke Urahara. So when Ichigo needed to find an apartment, his father arranged for him to stay in the studio apartment that Urahara rent out to college kids.

When Ichigo arrived he was met by the owner. Clad in tacky green robes, clogs and a striped hat; the shop owner began showing Ichigo around.

"As you can see, it's been used for storage for a number of years but it still has all the facilities." Urahara pointed out the small kitchen and living area to him, along with the bathroom and closet. Ichigo brushed off some old worn furniture as he inspected his new home.

"I expected it to be…"

"Smaller." Urahara offered.

"Cleaner." Ichigo responded.

Urahara smiled. "Well, since you'll be living here, that'll be you're responsibility." Urahara gave Ichigo the key. "Here ya go. Rent's due on the first and please try pay on time."

Rent. That meant Ichigo needed a job. And good one. Urahara may be an old friend of his old man's but he charged an arm and leg for living expenses.

Ichigo had sent his things ahead of him and they were ready and waiting to be unpacked. Lucky for him, he didn't have much; his clothes and a few other accessories. He was satisfied with the old furniture, a couch and armchair, and the small TV. He couldn't afford anything fancy anyway.

The apartment was conveniently located too. He was a short walk from campus and a convenience store was right down the way.

After an hour of unpacking, Ichigo decided to make his way to the convenience store. A few snacks would do him good after traveling all day.

Upon entering, Ichigo noticed that it was a fairly lean convenience store. Most of what they sold were meant to be microwaved and what wasn't was predominately candy. Since it had been a long day, he decided on two cokes and some chips to tide him over.

As he turned to head to the cashier he bumped into something. At first he couldn't see what until he looked down to see someone in a black hoodie and baggy jeans.

Ichigo was about to apologize when the small person shot up and yelled in his face, "Watch it ya freaking giant!" It was definitely a girl. A very small girl. She barely came up to his chest.

Ichigo's temper flared. "Me! Why don't you watch were you're going, ya midget!"

"What did you call me!"

"Oh, sorry! I didn't know you were short _and_ deaf!"

The world spun. Ichigo found himself flat on the floor, his jaw aching. He looked up to see the small girl retracting her fist. He was stunned. She'd hit him!

"You bitch!" he yelled regaining balance. "What the hell was that for?"

"You're inconsiderate comment, asshole!"

Ichigo stood up and towered over her. The young girl glared up at him, cursing his height. Ichigo grinned down at her.

"Well at least I'm not the one who has to crane their neck up to look at people with _average_ height." He honestly wasn't sure where that came from but the twitch of anger on her face was priceless.

He could barely see her face because of the hoodie but he did notice two things; the stray strand of hair hanging down between her eyes and the twitching of her angry face. Ah, how he enjoyed the twitching.

The girl retaliated by kicking him in the shin. Ichigo cried out and was pulled down to her level. Ichigo got an epic view of her face, which was teeming with anger. But then he stopped. As she glared at him he noted the beautiful set of violet orbs that glared at him. He felt himself staring at them before she jerked him around a bit.

"Listen, dandelion! I'm not short! You're just a freaking giant, got it!" Her outburst brought him back to reality but she continued. "How dare you look down on me you…you…dandelion!"

"What is with you?" he chided, "I was about to apologize when you started insulting and hitting me! And when did I ever look down on you…okay that part I get. But still…"

She let go of him and he stood up. Her head was downcast and her arms were shaking.

"Well?" She said, obviously trying to be patient. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well what?" He asked.

"Where's my apology?" She tapped her foot impatiently.

Ichigo sighed and tapped her on the head. She pushed his hand away and looked up. She stared right into his amber eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Was that so hard?"

"All things considered…Yes."

She stomped on his foot and he wailed. He was about to shout back at her when he noticed someone taller than him behind her. The girl followed his gaze and turned to see the big man. The incredibly tall man glared down at both of them…more the girl and Ichigo himself.

"I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave," The tall man said.

"Wha…? But he started it, why do I have to leave!" the girl shouted at him.

"I started it! You were the one who hit me! If anything you should be the one who gets thrown out!"

"QUIET!"

Both the girl and boy cowered in front of the large man. Next thing they knew, they stood outside the convenience store, empty handed.

"Argh! This is all your fault, dandelion!"

"You still think this is my fault! After how you yelled at the security guy!"

They glared at each other, fire burning in both their eyes. Suddenly a rumble was heard; a low rumble. Ichigo pulled back to realize that it was the girl's stomach.

"Dammit," the girl swore, "You happy now! Now we both go hungry!"

Ichigo felt guilt come over him. Even if she was a crazy, little, midget, bitch; she still didn't deserve to go hungry. He looked to see the girl beginning to walk away.

"Hey!" he called to her making her abruptly turn back to him. "What?" she replied sternly.

"I'm new here. You know any place close by to eat at?" He tried to sound as sincere as he could. He really didn't want to do this but his conscience demanded it of him.

The girl walked back to him and told him, "There's a McDonald's down the way," she said pointing. "And since it was your fault I couldn't get my snacks, you're going to buy me a meal."

Damn his conscience! He didn't want to pay for a meal for this crazy midget but the conscience was more powerful than his anger so he gave in.

"Fine," he said walking in the direction she pointed. She ran to catch up with him. "By the way, I'm Ichigo Kurosaki."

The girl smirked at him, "Rukia Kuchiki. Now get a move on Dandelion, they'll close soon and I'm hungry." She skipped ahead of him and he grimaced.

So much for his leftover travel money.

* * *

><p>Rukia ran ahead of him and to the counter when they arrived. She hurried and ordered a Big Mac and fries. She told something to the cashier and went to find a seat.<p>

Ichigo begrudgingly approached the counter. As he did the cashier smiled at him. "I suppose you're Mr. Dandelion? The young lady told me you'd be paying for her meal."

A vein popped in Ichigo head. The cashier grimaced at the look of utter rage on his face. "Yeah, that'd be me." Ichigo squeezed out. He tried to calm down. After all, it wasn't the cashier's fault that the midget was determined to exploit his overly nice conscience. He ordered a chicken sandwich with fries, paid and left the skittish cashier.

Ichigo looked around but found no trace of the annoying midget. He was about to say a prayer when he heard her tough voice.

"Hey! Dandelion!"

Ichigo turned to see her, sitting in the farthest booth from the counter. It was particularly dark there and it was hard to make her out. He took a seat opposite of her and stared at the table. A long silence followed. Rukia carefully studied him while he studied the texture of the table.

"So, you're new in town?"

Her question brought his attention up to her. She glared at him, her head resting on a palm, obviously bored and wanting something to talk about.

"Yeah, got here just today." He kept his answer quick and easy. The sooner they ate and left, the sooner he would be rid of the monstrous girl.

Rukia smirked at him. "You're going to Tokyo U, aren't you?" It wasn't really a question.

"How'd you know?"

"What other reason would a country bumpkin like you be in this town for?" She grinned as she watched him squirm when she called him a bumpkin. She derived a twisted joy from watching him struggle.

Ichigo, however, was not amused. "Who are you calling a country bumpkin! And you said _I _was looking down on _you_! I go through the trouble of buying you food and you not only insult me, you physically beat me!"

"Technically, I hit you before you offered so…" She kept grinning at him.

"T-That's not the point! The point is you owe me an apology and a thank you!"

He hadn't meant to yell but she was just so frustrating! He considered grabbing his food and leaving when he noticed her giggling. And for some reason, he found it cute, endearing even.

For all the trash she talked, she had the goofiest laugh he'd ever heard. At this moment, it was the only thing anchoring him to his seat. She stopped and looked up at him. "I guess you're right."

Rukia extended her hand to him; he raised an eyebrow at it. "Thank you for the food. And I'm sorry you pushed me to physical violence." Ichigo was about to slap her hand away when the nervous cashier brought them their food. Rukia retracted her hand only long enough for the food to be placed.

She thrust it back to him and waited. Dammit! Now he looked like the jerk here!

He shook her hand. "That's good enough for now…I guess." He told her as she reached for her food.

They spent the next few minutes eating and discussing school. Ichigo was surprised that she was also attending Tokyo U. He was also surprised that while he was still unsure of what he wanted to major in, Rukia was already a business major. She neglected to mention why but Ichigo didn't think much of it.

"So, what's your schedule?" The hooded girl asked, nibbling on fries. That was a good question. Ichigo did have his schedule with him but he wasn't sure where any of his classes were. It was lucky he'd gotten there early. He'd planned on exploring the campus the next day and hadn't bothered to really look at the classes he'd taken.

As he pulled the slip of paper out of his pocket, it was snatched by his newfound guest. Ichigo protested but he found her reading it intensely. Then she smirked.

"Better get used to having me around, Dandelion." She informed him. "I've got four classes with you."

Ichigo's eyes widened. Four classes with the crazy, midget, psycho-bitch! How in God's name did he get so…so…lucky? Wait…did he say lucky? What was wrong with him? Well…despite the horrific meeting, he was happy to be hanging out with someone instead of unpacking his stuff. He'd never really had any friends and it was nice to actually enjoy someone else's company. Never mind the fact that this new friend was girl. A tough, evil, little girl but still a member of the opposite sex.

"Oh, joy." He finally answered. "Now I get to put up with the crazy midget half my day."

Pain shot through his leg as she kicked his shin. He really should have expected that.

"That's what you get for making fun of me." She said overly sweet to him. That voice made his insides curl. She was quite the actress. If he hadn't seen, and felt, her anger previously, he might have been fooled. He smiled to himself. No matter how much he really wanted to dislike her, and he _really_ wanted to dislike her, he found it so fun to antagonize her. Hell, the pain was practically worth hit!

They finished their meals and left, chatting about school, living arrangements and other things. Rukia lived in the girls' dorm, which was only three blocks from the convenience store they'd been kick out of. Ichigo explained that he was fortunate to have a place to stay that was technically off-campus, despite the high rent.

Ichigo felt it was kind of odd. Only a couple of hours ago, he was ready to strangle the small, hooded girl. Now he was sad that she getting ready to head her own way. He considered asking if he could walk her back but he felt like that'd make him look like a creeper.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around," he said as she turned to leave. He noticed her doing something with her hands. Instantly, he stepped back, fearing that she was preparing for another attack.

Rukia whirled back around to him, her hands behind her back. She was smirking. She meandered up to him. She looked up at him, her hood almost covering her bewitching eyes.

"Here"

She pressed something into his chest and stepped back. He grabbed it discovered it was a scrap of paper with a phone number on it. Was this what he thought it was! He looked back at her, slightly confused.

"Shoot me a text or something. Later, Dandelion!" And with that gesture, she skipped off toward the dorms. Leaving Ichigo stunned, flushed and perplexed.

* * *

><p>When he got back to his apartment he decided to skip everything and go to bed. In less than one day, hell less than a single evening, he'd already met a very cute, yet ferocious girl and gotten her number.<p>

And the craziest thing was…he'd only gone out for a few snacks! He glanced at the paper again. How had he managed to get a girl's number so soon? He hadn't even been trying! He took a deep breath before slumping onto his bed.

His head hit the pillow and he easily drifted off to sleep. That night, a short, violet-eyed, raven-haired girl entered his dreams.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

They have met! Didn't take long, did it?

As always, please Review and tell me how I'm doing. Thank you.


	3. Touring Tokyo U

We're The Same

Chapter 2: Touring Tokyo U

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ichigo was in a bind. Here he was with the perfect excuse to hang out with his new friend, Rukia, and the only thing stopping him was his unparalleled fear of rejection. All he needed to say was, "Hey, can you show me around campus?" But nooo, that was too hard for him. Excuses like this didn't happen every day and he knew he was in the process of wasting it.<p>

The staring match he was having with his phone was not going well. Some unknown force compelled him to see her again, and soon.

He blinked at his phone. That was the sign!

He grabbed his phone from its place on his bed and furiously typed…

_Hey, it's Ichigo._

Short and simple. Just like him. He set his phone down and moved to begin unpacking the rest of his things; he was not expecting a reply very soon. Then his phone buzzed. He jumped across the room and onto his bed to grab it. A reply from her…

_Dandelion! Took you long enough! I practically waited all night for you but I forgive you! XD What's up?_

Ichigo sighed. Even while texting she had to poke and prod at him. He texted back…

_I wondered if you had time to show me around campus?_

Again he waited. Her reply came quickly…

_Awww, you need someone to hold your hand? Well, I suppose if you need a babysitter…I could be persuaded…You're buying lunch!_

Ichigo's heart leapt. He was gonna get to see her again!

_Cool. Where should we meet?_

It wasn't like he knew much about the campus…yet.

_I now this little place where they sell convenient stuff. Maybe you've seen it? I live three blocks away from it…_

Ichigo nearly face-palmed. Interesting way to say, "The convenience store where we met".

_Yeah, I know it. I heard a couple of idiots actually got kick out for fighting. Can ya believe that?_

There was a long wait for her next text. Ichigo began to worry he'd pissed her off when…

_Get your ass moving, Dandelion!_

Before even he knew it, his shoes were on and he was heading out the door.

* * *

><p>Since Ichigo lived only a block away from the store, he arrived first. As he waited he wondered if he was properly dressed for this. He was wearing the same clothes he had on from last night. He felt like he looked like an idiot. His hair was a mess, which was usual, but for the first time it really bugged him.<p>

Wait. What's with him? It's not like he was meeting her for a date or something. No. He was just nervous because she was so incredibly intimidating. Yeah…that's right! She's the scary one and he's the calm one. It all made sense in a twisted, illogical way.

"Yo, Dandelion!"

Rukia's voice snapped him out of his weird thoughts. He saw her running up to him. Instantly, he noticed she had the same clothes from last night as well. Black hoodie partially hiding her face, baggy jeans around to her hips. She even had the same creepy smirk from before.

"What's up, Midget?" He regretted standing so close to her. His shin paid the price. As he cried out she glared at him.

"Is that any way to treat your guide? You're lucky I'm so nice and decided to take mercy on you. The campus is enormous and a newbie like you'd get lost for days."

Ichigo tried to get mad at her but the second he spotted her beautiful violet eyes, it all faded away. He followed Rukia back to campus. She started by pointing out the dorms, hers in particular, she even pointed out which room she was in. Apparently, she had a great view, her room being on the third floor. They then moved on to the science, history, and arts buildings. It was a pretty boring tour but Ichigo had come for the company. It was nice to have a friend so soon after moving. His loneliness was fading fast.

After the quick tour they decided that it was time for him to buy lunch, it was mostly Rukia's idea. The campus had a nice community center with various food stores. Rukia persuaded him to go to the little sandwich and coffee shop she adored.

Ichigo bought them each a latte and sandwich and they took up similar positions to their ones from last night.

"So, why a business major?" Ichigo asked as he munched on his ham sandwich. Rukia scoffed and turned her head in disgust.

"It's not my idea. My brother thinks that the only way for me to survive in this world is to have a good paying job and business is the only degree he'd ever accept." Her voice was filled with distain but also slight sadness. Ichigo didn't like hearing either in her voice.

"Is there anything else you like to do?" he asked innocently. Rukia stared back at him. It was the first time anyone had ever asked her about what _she_ wanted. It caught her off guard.

"Uh…well," she struggled to think and find words. "I like to draw…I guess."

"Really? You draw?"

"Well, yeah. Not anything professional but I enjoy the occasional sketch." Rukia said, nibbling on her tuna sandwich. The warmth was returning to her voice and Ichigo reveled in it. Rukia didn't have any drawings with her so she promised to show him next time. It was good enough for him.

They spent a long time discussing their hobbies and such. Ichigo was into music but not really keen on performing. Rukia enjoyed reading manga, especially Shojo, which Ichigo got a kick out of…literally.

The entire time they talked Ichigo noticed something. Rukia never took her hood off. In fact, Ichigo realized that even last night it was forever present on her head. It was her business after all but it made him curious.

"Do you always have that hood up?" he joked. Rukia immediately tensed. She clenched her fists. Ichigo wasn't sure why but it definitely seemed like he'd struck a nerve. "Well, never mind. Not a bit deal anyway." He said trying to resolve the tension.

Rukia relaxed and smirked at him. "I have bed head. I waited all night long for this weirdo to drop me a text and I barely slept. I know, call me crazy…" Her sarcasm would have hurt if he didn't find it so amusing.

Deciding it was best to drop it, Ichigo got up and headed for the counter to pay. Rukia waited as he paid. As the cashier got his change he began lightly laughing and looking in Rukia's direction. Ichigo noted this and glared at him.

The cashier grimaced and gave Ichigo his change. Rukia waited patiently as Ichigo returned. "So, where to next?" Rukia looked at him puzzled. Where was there to go? She'd already showed him where their classes were and told him how to find them, since it was Sunday and they couldn't actually go inside the buildings today.

Both of them were enjoying themselves and didn't feel like separating yet, although they'd rather claw out each other's eyes than admit it. Then, Rukia had a stunning revelation.

"Did you buy your books for class yet?" Ichigo immediately stopped, eyes wide. He'd completely forgotten that in college, you buy your own books!

"Judging by the stroke you're having…I'd say no." Rukia grinned at him. Ichigo turned to her.

"Help…" he wheezed. Rukia pretended to be annoyed as she led him to the bookstore/gift shop. It was lucky Ichigo brought his schedule to find which books he needed. Halfway through gathering his material, he stopped again.

He reached into his pocket and checked his wallet. Yup. No money. Rukia, who had gone off to get a book herself, returned and saw his dejected look.

"Let me guess. You're broke."

Ichigo glared at her. "Well, I wouldn't be if someone hadn't made me spend the last of my money on a damn happy meal!"

"You're still reeling about that! It was your fault in the first place!"

"My fault! If you hadn't of rammed into me…"

They continued to bicker for a few minutes, drawing attention from other students and store clerks.

"That's not the point!" Ichigo shouted stopping them both. "The point is I have no money for books!"

Rukia frowned. Even in a tiny way, it was her fault that he'd not been able to buy at least one book. Some of the books were pretty cheap but having no money was really not helping. Rukia saw that Ichigo was furious with himself. That didn't help her conscience at all.

Without a word she grabbed his remaining books and walked up to the counter. Ichigo was frozen as he watched the petite girl purchase all his books with a credit card.

"Hey!" He made his way to her. "There's no need for you to do that!" Rukia ignored him and finished the transaction. She shoved the books into him and smirked.

"Now, you owe me dinner." She calmly walked past him as he stood dumbfounded. By the time he regained his wits, she was grinning at him outside the glass door.

* * *

><p>After catching up to the crazy yet generous midget, Ichigo was led back to Rukia's dorm. It was getting late and Rukia told him she needed to get going. Ichigo's face had a hint, just a hint, of sadness on it. Rukia's observant eyes noticed, unfortunately for him.<p>

"Oh come on, Dandelion. It's not like I'll never see you again." Rukia teased him, earning a scowl from him.

"Finally, I'm beat. Being dragged around by a crazy midget all day takes it out of you." A slender elbow pounded into his stomach, knocking air from his lungs.

"What was that, Dandelion?" The sickly sweet smile returned and Ichigo could feel the seething behind it, and the pain in his abdomen.

"Thank you."

Ichigo barely squeezed it out as Rukia retracted her elbow. Ichigo made note of the ghostly smile on her face. She did enjoy pounding him but he didn't seemed to mind much either, for whatever reason.

"Well, see you in class." Rukia ran up the stairs and headed for the door but was stopped by his voice.

"Can I…" he stopped and she turned back to him. Rukia stared at him from under her hood, waiting for him to continue. Ichigo had to reach deep inside for confidence. "Uh, Can I meet you here…to walk you to class?" Rukia looked at him perplexed.

Oh, crap! How did it come out like that! He'd only meant that he wanted to walk to class with her. That didn't mean too much…did it? Rukia continued to stare at him.

"You sound like a creeper." She called back.

Ichigo stared up at her and kicked himself. Of course she'd say that. It was only natural. He was about to run away in shame when he spied the smile on her lips. "But then again, I don't usually buy creepers books for 'em. Maybe I oughta take them back."

Ichigo began to sweat. What did that mean? Was she joking or…?

Rukia laughed at the horrific expression on his face. "You…you look…" she burst out laughing trying to speak. Ichigo immediately went from horrified to pissed. That crazy little midget was enjoying his pain.

"Fine! Whatever!" Ichigo began to storm off in the other direction.

"I'll see you here at nine-thirty then!"

Ichigo spun around to see Rukia waving to him and laughing. She did mean what he thought she meant…right? Before he could ask, Rukia twirled around and went inside the dorm. Ichigo stood perplexed for a moment before a great smile broke out on his face.

He walked all the way to his apartment, the smile never leaving his face.

* * *

><p>Rukia returned to her room, ignoring the glares she got from other residents. It didn't matter to her. Not today. As soon as she got to her room she pulled back her hood and let her feline ears breath. God it felt good for them to be out. It was easier for her to hear this way too.<p>

She changed into her comfortable sleeping clothes, letting her tail dance as she did so. She knew she looked ridiculous, dancing around in her dorm room with her heritage flouncing about, but she couldn't help it. After so long of not having a single friend she finally had someone to hang with.

Rukia had been attending Tokyo U since last semester but still had no friends. She knew why. Her hand unconsciously tapped her catlike ears. Not everyone was as accepting of her heritage as she thought they would be.

This negative thought gave birth to another. She was hiding this from Ichigo. It hadn't started that way. After their initial meeting she didn't feel the need to expose herself to him. It didn't seem to bother him that she always had it on…or so she thought.

His comment on her hood today had brought untold fear to her. She made sure that she had her trusty hoodie today. It was just so scary. The thought of how he would react to her heritage sent chills down her. Sure, he seemed like a nice guy now but if he knew she was a Nekojin…

Rukia forced the thought from her mind. She was well aware that sooner or later he'd find out. She just hoped he was as different as she thought he was. He certainly seemed accepting but then again, so had many others who'd trampled her trust. She pushed the thoughts away and got ready for bed. School would start tomorrow and she needed rest.

Then Rukia found herself squirming in her bed out of excitement. She had a real friend and he was gonna be in four of her classes! For the first time in years, she felt genuine happiness. She decided, no matter how short of a time it lasted, she wanted to enjoy being a normal person with a normal friend.

At least for a while...

* * *

><p>When Ichigo returned to his apartment he found Urahara outside his candy shop talking to a tall woman with purple hair, cat ears and a long tail.<p>

Ichigo did a double take. A Nekojin. Urahara was talking to a Nekojin. Ichigo wanted to slip by unnoticed, not wanting to stare or butt into the conversation. Unfortunately, the Nekojin woman noticed him.

"You must be Ichigo." The Nekojin woman said approaching him. "Kisuke told me you'd be living here. It's nice to meet you. I'm Yoruichi Shihoin. Welcome to Tokyo U." She extended her hand to him.

"Oh, uh…thanks." He shook her hand and Yoruichi smirked at Ichigo's nervousness.

"First time seeing a Neko huh? Can't say I'm surprised. At least you're not freaking out or drooling over me. Those kinds of people never last long around me. I certainly hope you're not one of them."

Ichigo's nerves refused to settle down. "W-What? Of course not! I'm not some perverted freak! I swear! I happen to think that it's weird that people find other people, especially Nekojin, to be strange at all!" He was clearly defending himself and Yoruichi couldn't help but laugh at his display.

"I'm just messing with you, kid. Besides, even if you were some kind of perverted freak, I know how to deal with them." The grin on her face was magnified by the swishing of her tail. Ichigo made a mental note to never upset this lady.

Meanwhile, Urahara came up behind them. "Well, Ichigo. It seems you met my _oldest_ friend." The shop owner ducked as the Nekojin swung her fist at him. "Did I mention she's a bit feisty?"

"Knock it off, Kisuke." Yoruichi scolded.

"By the way," Urahara turned his attention back to Ichigo, "What are you doing out so late? I figured it wouldn't take that long to check out the campus."

"Yeah, well. I needed to buy my books too. But in the end I didn't have enough money so Rukia ended up buying them."

Urahara perked up when he heard the girl's name. "Now, now Ichigo. You didn't tell me you had a girlfriend. No wonder you're out so late…"

"What!" Ichigo reared back, kicking himself for mentioning her. "She's not my girlfriend. I just met her yesterday and she…"

"Oh, so you met her yesterday. Was that after I left last night? Rather late don't you think? Ichigo, you sly dog. Kids today move so fast…"

Ichigo burned crimson. "I-It was an accident. I bumped into her at the store yesterday and she offered to show me around campus. That's all." He knew he wasn't telling the whole story, but he wasn't about to tell his crazy landlord about all his encounters with Rukia.

Yoruichi had been silently watching them argue. She had a troubled look on her face. "What's the matter, Yoruichi?" Urahara broke her concentration. No harm in letting them know.

"Nothing really. I just recognize the name that all."

Ichigo turned to her. "Do you know her?" Yoruichi nodded. "How do you know Rukia?"

"I'm actually the director of her dorm. I hardly ever need to go there but I remember meeting her. She's kind of hard to forget." Yoruichi explained.

"Yeah, she definitely is." Ichigo confirmed. A crazy, powerful midget like her certainly left an impression, either on you or in you. Yoruichi's eyes darkened, as if she thought he didn't understand.

"So, Ichigo. What do you think of her?" Yoruichi had a smile on her face but her eyes were harder than steel. Ichigo flinched.

"Well, I've only know her for a couple days but she seems pretty cool. A bit rough and bossy and quick to violence but other than that, she's alright." Ichigo chose his words carefully. After all, a cat's wrath can last seven generations and Yoruichi seemed like hers could last for eternity.

"That's all?" Yoruichi asked. Her tone demanded an answer but Ichigo didn't know what else to say.

"Well, she was bit pale. She should take that hood of more often. She had it on the whole time today."

Yoruichi gasped slightly. It was obvious he didn't know about Rukia being a Nekojin and it wasn't her place to say anything. Yoruichi retracted her glare and replaced it with a calm smile. "I'm relieved then," She told the orange-haired boy, "She has such trouble making friends with her tough and bossy personality. I'm glad you broke through her ice wall."

That information stunned Ichigo. "Wait, she doesn't have any friends? Are you serious?" That seemed odd to him. A pretty girl like her should be swarming with friends. Or so he thought.

"She can be a little…rough on people. If you know what I mean." Yoruichi had a point. Rukia was the type to punch first, ask questions never. "Well, you better get to bed. Classes start tomorrow, after all."

"Right. Nice to meet you." Ichigo began to head toward his apartment when Yoruichi called to him.

"Ichigo." He turned back to her. "Take care of Rukia."

Ichigo didn't understand where that came from but answered, "Sure thing." It wasn't like he planned on hurting her or anything. He was her friend, after all.

As he disappeared into the apartment, Urahara, who had been strangely quiet, approached Yoruichi. "You think this is wise. He's a good kid but who knows how he'll react to her being…"

"Kisuke," Urahara tilted his hat up to look her in the eyes, "That kid's the first person to get Rukia out of her room in months. Yes, I think it's wise."

Urahara turned back to Ichigo's apartment. "I hope this all goes well."

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

I did an overhaul on this chapter. Majorly! Hope you all enjoyed it.

Please Review.


	4. Sunbathing!

We're The Same

Chapter 3: Sunbathing!

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Ichigo was up an hour earlier than usual. He had to make sure he was on time to meet Rukia. It'd be hell if he made them late for class on their first day. He ate a quick breakfast and headed for Rukia's dorm. On his way to campus he noticed a few more Nekojin along the way. He was getting accustomed to seeing them, at least without staring in amazement.<p>

It seemed that they traveled in groups because he never saw one alone. Kind of odd in his opinion but it was not important right now. He reached the girl's dorm to find Rukia patiently waiting for him.

The first thing he noticed was that her hood was down. In place of it was an oversized beanie. Though she still had her same baggy jeans, Ichigo didn't complain. He finally got a good look at her face. Her hair was jet black and shoulder length, apart from the stray strand that hovered between her eyes. He wondered how he never noticed the stray strand before but realized he'd always seen her with the hood.

"Morning, Midget." She kicked him in the shin as he approached, making him groan.

"Morning, Dandelion." Ichigo glared at her. "You were the one to ask me to wait for you. You have no one to blame but yourself." As much as he wanted to argue, he knew class took priority.

"Whatever. Let's just get going."

Rukia led the charge. "Off to hell we go!"

Ichigo followed, Yoruichi's words from last night ringing in his head.

* * *

><p>Rukia had three classes that day while Ichigo only had two. However, Ichigo's were back to back while Rukia's third was later in the day. They shared the first two classes; Anthropology and then College Algebra. Rukia's third was a business class. She neglected to mention the name, thinking he wouldn't care. She was right.<p>

When they arrived to Anthropology, they took seats next to each other. The class didn't seem so bad. Their instructor, Professor Kyoraku was a middle-aged man with long hair wavy hair. He told the class a lame joke about it being his first semester teaching here but no one laughed.

The first day was always pretty simple. Get a syllabus and leave. That's how most classes worked. At least that's how Kyoraku's class was. He passed out the syllabus and excused himself, yawning.

Neither Ichigo nor Rukia complained and got up to leave. As they walked out, a male student abruptly shoved Rukia out of his way. She fell and dropped her books.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Ichigo shouted and glared at the guy but the student only smirked and kept on walking. As Ichigo went to help Rukia, another student kicked one of her books away from her.

"Oops. Sorry." The jerk said sarcastically. Ichigo was about to grab the kid when Rukia gripped his arm.

"It was an accident. It's fine." Ichigo pulled his arm away and glared at her.

"Like hell it was! Are you gonna let him get away with that!" Ichigo was furious. How could they treat her like that! And for no reason! Rukia sighed and picked up her books.

"It's not a big deal, Ichigo. Besides, if we don't hurry we'll be late for our next class." She hurried ahead of him not giving him room to argue. They both knew they had plenty of time but Rukia really didn't want to start an incident on the first day.

However, Ichigo's rage was not appeased. He couldn't believe how uncontrollably rude those guys had been. Even the people in his high school weren't that bad and most of them were gang members! Ichigo summed it up to being in a large city and walked in silence next to Rukia.

Luckily, no more incidents happened on the way to their next class. Once again, Ichigo and Rukia sat together as they were introduced to their Math instructor, Miss Soi Fon. Unlike their previous class, Miss Soi Fon gave the class a surprise quiz, to see how much they knew. Afterwards she had the entire class sit in silence while she graded them.

Ichigo was going out of his mind with boredom. After tapping a tune for several minutes he felt something jab his side. His eyes turned to see Rukia, facing the front, but poking him with a piece of paper.

Ichigo took the paper and opened it in his lap. It read…

_Bet I get a higher score!_

Ichigo rubbed his eyes. He could hardly believe the nerve of his petit friend. He wrote back and poked her. She grabbed it and read…

_What are you, five? It's a freaking quiz. Get over it._

She poked him back and he read…

_Someone's afraid. Don't worry. I'll still be friends with an idiot like you!_

Before Ichigo had time to respond, Miss Soi Fon passed back their quizzes. She lectured on how so much of the class was inferior to her and was embarrassed at how stupid they were. Obviously, she didn't care about making friends among students.

After another long lecture, Soi Fon dismissed them and the entire class gave a group sigh.

Rukia lurked over Ichigo's shoulder to see his score. Remarkably, it was higher than hers, if only by one point.

"You cheated."

"How can you cheat on a math test?"

Rukia's brows furrowed. "You found a way." Ichigo sighed and got up.

Rukia followed but before they reached the door another student "accidently" smacked his book into the back of Rukia's head. Rukia slipped and fell while others looked on in amusement. Now, Ichigo had had it!

The guy smirked until Ichigo grabbed his collar and slightly lifted him off the ground. "What the hell was that about! Huh!" the student grimaced as Ichigo shook him. "Next time you try something like that you're gonna deal with me! Got that!"

Ichigo shoved the guy away and he fell to the ground. A few other students went and helped the offender up, glaring at Ichigo the entire time. Ichigo ignored them and went to Rukia. She had already gotten up and was heading for the door.

"You alright?" Ichigo asked her.

"I'm fine." She said plainly and continued on. "There was no need for that Ichigo."

Ichigo was stunned by her less than thankful attitude. "Excuse me! That guy blatantly hit you on the head and you just walk it off! What's up with you today? If it was me you'd have smacked my head into the pavement a long time ago!"

Rukia sent an icy glare at him. "You're making big deal out of nothing."

Ichigo didn't like to hear that. He quickly tapped her on the back of the head. Her beanie moved slightly and she instantly grabbed it. Rukia turned to him with rage clouding her vision and retaliated by kicking him in the gut. He fell to the ground as she furiously readjusted her beanie; Ichigo slowly picked himself up off the ground.

"What the hell was that for, idiot!" she demanded.

To her surprise, he was smirking at her. "See," he squeezed out, trying to get air." You hit me pretty easily. Why didn't you hit that guy?"

Rukia came to a halt and turned away from him. "It's none of your business."

Ichigo's scowl returned and he said, "You're my friend, Rukia. So, yeah, it is my business. I don't take kindly to people messing with my friends. So just tell me what's up…" He really didn't know when to let a conversation drop and Rukia's buttons had been pushed enough.

"Fine!" she shouted at him. "Last semester I got into a fight with that asshole who hit me, Takeshi, and nearly got expelled, okay? I can't take another mark on my record! Happy now?"

Ichigo's scowl faded and he stared at his petite friend. This wasn't the first time that bastard, Takeshi was it, had messed with her? Why did she act like it wasn't bothering her? Well, he understood the consequences of getting into a fight pretty well. He'd gotten pulled from school several times for fighting himself. But still, for her to do nothing seemed extremely out of character for the normally brutal midget. Ichigo knew that pushing it could be bad so he left it alone.

"Look, I'm sorry." She suddenly apologized; embarrassed that she lost her temper. "I just don't want to cause any more trouble, okay?"

Ichigo scratched his head in embarrassment. "It's my bad too. I just get so furious when I see that kind of stuff." Ichigo tried to explain before he heard her infamous laugh. "What now?" he said exasperated.

Rukia continued to giggle for a bit before she squeezed out, "So the big, tough, dandelion has a soft side. Well, looking at your flowery head, that's not surprising." She continued to giggle as he groaned. Somehow she always managed to diffuse his anger with her sarcasm. He almost felt tricked.

"Anyway, when do you have class next?" He asked her.

"Not for another three hours." She replied looking at her schedule. "You're done for today, aren't you? Heading home then?"

Ichigo thought about it. It would be nice to get home and finish unpacking. His escapades with Rukia had halted that process but more than that he wanted to spend more time with her. The bullying at this university was getting to him. He didn't want to leave her alone just yet.

"Nah, not really ready to head out yet." He saw Rukia's eyes sparkle. That couldn't be good…

"Well, since you have such free time…" she grabbed his arm and pulled him along with her. He barely had time to get his balance. "You're coming with me!"

Ichigo was about to ask where they were heading when he saw how overjoyed she was. After the incidents before, it was refreshing. He let her tug him along, not really caring where she led him.

* * *

><p>After being dragged the long way across campus and up an incredibly steep slope, Ichigo found himself standing on a grassy hill overlooking the entire college grounds. He was awed at the view. He could see the tops of the buildings overlooking the campus.<p>

Rukia grinned. "This is my secret runaway spot." She sounded too proud of that. "You better keep it a secret, Dandelion."

Ichigo looked at her puzzled. "Secret runaway spot? What do you have to run from?"

"Stress, mainly. And the occasional PMS." She smirked. Ichigo couldn't tell if that was joke or not.

"Too much information, Rukia. Too much information…"

Ichigo sat on the warm grass, laid back and closed his eyes. Rukia joined him and they spent a few minutes in silence, enjoying the warm sun. Ichigo opened one eye to see Rukia basking in the glow of the sunlight and he half-smiled. Totally at peace like that, she was a picture of heaven.

A magnificent smile crept upon her lips as she spread her arms wide to enjoy the weather. Ichigo could easily understand why she liked it here. No one around and no loud noises—only the warm glow of the sun and the vibrant field of green.

Rukia rolled over and opened an eye to him. Her smile turned to a grin. "See something you like?" she teased.

"Not particularly. I just find it amusing that you enjoy lounging in the sun so much. If I didn't know any better…I'd say you were half cat."

Rukia bolted upright with horror on her face. Her hands flung to her beanie, making sure it was in place.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked at her sudden outburst. Rukia sighed. He obviously didn't know her secret but damn, did he have to word it like that? He scared the crap out of her. She noticed his worry and smacked him on the head. He covered his head but before he protested she laid her head on his stomach.

"I was just uncomfortable, idiot. The ground was too hard. You make an excellent pillow." She grinned at him again as he calmed himself. "You worry _way_ too much."

Ichigo sighed and laid back down, not the least upset about her using him as an accessory. Rukia also let out a soft sigh. She had managed to diffuse the confusion but Ichigo wasn't completely convinced. Was it something he said? Maybe she just wasn't a cat person.

As they lay in the warm light, Ichigo felt her shift. "Thank you…" Rukia muttered, not sure if he heard it. He did, though he decided to stay quiet. Answering would lead to arguing and he was too comfortable. Besides, she actually thanked him for defending her. At least that's what he thought it was for. Frankly, it felt wonderful.

Either way, he was getting comfortable and before he knew it he'd drifted off to sleep. As he snoozed, Rukia let a worried look brand her face. How much longer could she keep it from him?

* * *

><p>Ichigo awoke two and half hours later with Rukia kicking him in the side. She shouted about nearly being late and took off. Ichigo scrambled and followed her.<p>

As it turned out, Rukia made it to class with plenty of time. Rukia told him to text her later and with that she went to her business class. Ichigo took his leave from her building and was heading off campus when he noticed a number of people glaring at him. He was used to it though; his hair was brighter than the sun.

He was almost to the edge of campus when that punk, Takeshi he thought his name was, the one he'd shoved earlier, jumped in front of him with several friends.

"Where ya going, bleach boy!" Takeshi shouted at him. Ichigo sighed. Day one and he was already causing trouble. Well, at least it wasn't his fault. It was this dipshit punk's for hitting Rukia with a book.

"Home." Ichigo told them plainly.

"Oh, that a fact! Well, we got a little score to settle with ya!" another punk growled. Ichigo didn't think it would be difficult to beat the crap out of them. His dad had made sure he was tough, what with the surprise attacks every morning and every evening. Never thought he'd be pleased about his insane father's morning ritual but it was certainly coming in handy. The only concern was if they had knifes or something. Ichigo took his chances.

"If we're gonna do this, can we please take it off campus so none of us will get suspended?" The punks laughed at his suggestion; obviously they didn't value their health.

"That's the least of your worries, bleach boy! But sure, why not? That way, no one'll hear you scream like a bitch!" Takeshi and his posse led Ichigo off campus and to an alleyway. Ichigo dropped his bag and waited. There were only five of them, fortunate considering that he'd gone up against eleven guys at once before. That time he walked away with only a few bruises, this was gonna be cake.

The punks continued to laugh as they circled him. Funny, they thought it would do them some good, they were wrong. One from the front charged him and met with Ichigo's shoe in his face. The guy hit the ground and was out cold.

The others stared as Ichigo cracked his knuckles and waited. This time they all charged him. Again, it did little good. Ichigo ducked and weaved, punching and kicking. Before long, the punks were battered and broken on the ground.

Ichigo retrieved his bag and was about to leave when Takeshi shouted at him. "What the hell are you? Some kind of freak…"

Ichigo glared at him, "What was that?" his tone was as menacing as his eyes. Takeshi didn't seem to get it though.

"First you stand up for the little bitch, then…" the bastard couldn't finish because Ichigo rammed his foot into his face, forcing him against a wall. Nothing but rage existed in Ichigo's eyes.

"Tell you what," he informed the punk, "I'm gonna pretend this little get together never happened. In exchange, I suggest you and your pals stop pestering my friend. Got it." Takeshi's fear rose and words didn't form. Ichigo pressed his shoe harder on the punk's skull. "Got it!" He repeated louder this time.

"I-I got it!"

Ichigo reared back and smacked Takeshi's head one more time, knocking him unconscious. Ichigo moved out of the alley and down the street, heading home. Whew, what a first day!

* * *

><p>Rukia's class was over pretty quick and she avoided the crowd trying to get out. She had become rather talented at getting around people unnoticed. She easily got back to her dorm without incident. As she entered the dorm she saw a familiar face.<p>

"Well, hello Rukia." Yoruichi Shihoin called to her. "It's been a while." Rukia smiled at her fellow Nekojin.

"It has Ms. Shihoin. What are you doing here?" Rukia asked almost on instinct.

The older Nekojin woman scoffed. "I _am_ the director of this dorm. I have to make my presence known every once in a while. If I don't, the girls will lose respect for me."

"Right, I'm just surprised to actually see you here. I normally don't bump into you." Yoruichi smiled at her comment. It was because Rukia hardly left her room that she rarely saw her. "So," Rukia continued, "How have you been?"

Yoruichi continued to smile. Rukia was very talkative today, not that she minded. She was pretty fond of the petit little troublemaker and not just because they were of the same race. "I should be asking you that. I heard you got yourself a boy to play with." The smile turned into a smirk while Rukia turned red.

"What! Where did you hear that!" she tried to defend herself but Yoruichi would have none of it.

"Oh, so it's true then. Well, be sure to use protection." The blush on Rukia's face was well worth the comment.

"No! It's not true! I don't have anyone like that!" Rukia spat out, trying to diminish the embarrassment. Yoruichi knew she'd get some mileage out of this one.

"Oh, come on. You know. That carrot topped kid who's renting Kisuke's apartment…" Yoruichi knew she'd it gold. The look on Rukia's face was priceless.

"Wait. You mean Ichigo is renting that weirdo's studio?" Rukia knew he lived close to campus but she never imagined him staying with the creepy candy owner.

"Oh, so you do know him." Yoruichi's tail swished in amusement. "How'd you manage to rope him in so quickly?"

Rukia blushed harder and turned away. "It's not like that. W-We have a lot of classes together, that's all. We met by accident anyway." Why was she defending her friendship with Ichigo? There was no need for that. Who she befriended was her business, after all.

She shook her head and began to move past the older Nekojin. "Anyway, I have homework to do so…See you later." It was a lie but Rukia would have cut off her own leg for the excuse to leave. Yoruichi watched as she headed up the stairs, the petite girl blushing the entire time. Yoruichi smiled as she left. Ichigo was definitely doing her some good. She just hoped that Rukia would let him in more.

It was hard to have a real friendship when you're keeping a huge part of your life hidden…literally.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

So, a little bit of trouble already. Well, trouble is the spice of life…and most stories. Personally, the idea of them sunbathing is adorable in my mind. Hope you agree!

Please Review. Thanks again loyal readers!


	5. You're A Cat!

We're The Same

Chapter 4: You're A Cat!

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Ichigo and Rukia exchanged texts nearly every day. It was mostly filled with witty comebacks and insults but it was their own little language. The only problem now was Ichigo's phone bill, it didn't come cheap and neither did rent. His dad had sent him some money initially but it was quickly running out. He needed to find a job and soon.<p>

The rest of the week passed by slowly for both Ichigo and Rukia. The classes they took were mostly Gen. Ed. classes and were incredibly boring. The punks from the other day kept their distance, they were seething but still at a distance. Rukia had less bullying happen when Ichigo was around. That alone was worth spending time with him, although she had to tease him constantly to remind him of his place.

Beyond that, they would often sneak away to the secret runaway spot and just talk or nap or even eat lunch. It was fun for both of them. Neither questioned the time they spent together. Mainly because neither had ever had real friends before.

Sure, they bickered and beat on each other but it still was a kind of friendship. An awkward friendship but a friendship nonetheless. Rukia began to leave her room more as well. Not just to see Ichigo but also to go out and read at the library and drink coffee at her favorite little coffee shop. It had been a long time since she'd had such courage. Ichigo just seemed to overflow with it and it was infectious.

Now it was Friday and Ichigo and Rukia had left their last class of the day. Finally the weekend was here and they were free! They decided to get some coffee and rant about how much school sucked.

Along the way, Rukia noticed the menacing glares from many of her tormentors. Sure, the bullying was less with the Dandelion around but when she was alone she practically ran from class to class. Rukia had made sure not to let Ichigo find out about her heritage but it was getting harder.

Earlier he'd tried to pull off her beanie as a joke and she slugged him. She made up some excuse about having a bad hair day but felt pretty bad, he was bleeding after all. It was true that Ichigo knew her better than anyone else on campus but still, the thought of her exposing her ears to him was the subject of her nightmares. None of this reassured her enough to let him in any deeper. For now, she just hoped he'd stay blissfully ignorant.

"You spacing out again, Midget?" Ichigo grinned at her as she stared ahead blankly.

"No, I was just taking in the sights when your hair blinded me with its outrageous brightness." She stuck her tongue out at him. He scowled and turned back to the front as she grinned at him.

Just a little longer, she told herself, just a little longer for her to find the right time to tell him.

Just then, the pair was cut off by Takeshi and his gang, the one Ichigo had beaten down earlier that week. This time they seemed strangely confident. Ichigo sighed and Rukia stiffened.

"What do want this time? I really don't wanna deal with you guys right now." Ichigo was annoyed. His time with Rukia was precious to him and they were rudely interrupting it.

Takeshi laughed and pointed at Ichigo. "I finally figured it out." The punk shouted at him. "Why you hang with that chick." Rukia immediately tensed. This asshole had been in half her classes last semester and took great pleasure in ruining her life. Dammit, why now?

Ichigo noticed Rukia's posture and shouted, "What the hell are you talking about, asshole!"

The punks continued to laugh and another stepped up and said, "You got some freaky fetishes man." Ichigo's eyes widened in confusion. Freaky fetishes? What the hell were they talking about?

Takeshi grinned and continued. "I never would a guessed you'd be into furries!" The entire group laughed as Ichigo stood perplexed. Then, Ichigo noticed the presence at his side disappear. He turned to see Rukia heading the other way, her hood up over her head covering her beanie. The punks jeered, "Better get checked for rabies!" Ichigo would have gladly taught them the meaning of true pain but Rukia was his concern now.

"Rukia. Wait!" he called after her.

She increased her pace and called back, "I have to go! See ya!" She broke out into a run but Ichigo gave chase.

* * *

><p>Why did this have to happen? Why did they insist on tormenting her? Rukia ran as fast as she could, trying to remove the memories from her mind. There was no way Ichigo wouldn't question what they meant. She needed to be alone now so she could figure out a way to tell him, nice and quiet-like. She probably should have come up with a better plan other than running but it was the only thing she could think of.<p>

However, she underestimated how fast Ichigo could move. She heard him run closer to her and hesitated for a second. That turned out to be the worst mistake of her life.

Ichigo reached out to her and grabbed her hood. Instinctively he pulled it back, not only the hood but the beanie underneath came with it. From under the hood came two, perfectly adorable, cat ears. Both of them stopped. Ichigo's mouth dropped open and he stared at them with the fascination of a toddler. Rukia instantly grabbed her hood and pulled it back over her head, denying him the view.

"Rukia, you're…" his words caught in his throat. Word failed to form in his mouth. Rukia turned back to him and glared with tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm what!" she hissed at him.

Without thinking he answered, "You're a cat!" A few people turned his direction and he instantly realized what he'd said. "I mean, Nekojin! You're a Nekojin!"

A small but powerful fist crashed against his jaw. He fell back and hit his head on the ground. He looked up to see her glaring down at him, the tears just beginning to roll down her cheeks.

"Insensitive jerk!" She yelled as she ran from him.

Ichigo got up and tried to follow her but she ran too fast. Ichigo lost her and felt even more like a hopeless idiot. It obviously bothered her, so why did he have to blatantly point it out! To be fair, he was still getting over the initial shock of his only friend being a Nekojin. It was the first time he'd ever really hung out with one and he hadn't even realized it. Ichigo glanced at his hand to realize that he was still holding her beanie.

Now he felt like real asshole. If he had just calmly assessed that she was Nekojin, instead of blurting it out loud enough for China to hear, maybe he could have explained that he was merely surprised by the turn of events. Unfortunately his knack for overreacting had once again doomed him.

As he sulked home he passed Rukia's dorm and looked at it solemnly. Now what? His only friend here turned out to be Nekojin…which was actually a something he was excited about. Seriously, a Nekojin! Not only was she tough and beautiful but she also had a pair of adorable cat ears! And probably a dainty little tail too!

Whoa, whoa…Stop those thoughts right now! They'd only complicate matters…where did those thoughts come from anyway? She was still the same Rukia he'd always known, right? No need for him to be so upset about this. Only he was. The first friend he'd had since…ever, had just gotten pissed and run away from him. Great job, Ichigo.

He pushed the thought from his mind and continued home. None of that mattered now. She probably didn't want to talk to him right now anyway. Perhaps it was best to let it lie for a while. As he reached his apartment he realized that in his rush that morning he'd left his cell behind. He checked it to see that he had new message. Surprisingly, it was from Rukia.

_Sorry for all the trouble I caused, Dandelion. I just need some space right now. I think it'd be best if we stopped exchanging texts too. See ya._

That's it. No insults. No innuendo. Just a lame apology. And…wait. Did she actually expect him just to cut off all connection with her? Just like that? And only because she was a Nekojin. Sure, she'd kept it from him but she had her reasons…didn't she?

Most of it he could understand but this depressing message…this he couldn't stand. Screw letting it lie for while! He was pissed! He furiously typed a message back to her.

* * *

><p>Rukia had returned to her dorm room and locked the door behind her. This day couldn't have gone worse! She pulled off her hoodie, since it was now safe for her ears to see daylight. She had lost her beanie in the incident but that was far from her mind right now. She wiggled her tail out of her baggy jeans and plopped down on her bed. Luckily, she had a single room so no one could bother her.<p>

Why did it end up this way? It had been going so well. She was hanging out with another person for once and a boy nonetheless. She had been so excited when he'd kept hanging out with her, despite her temper tantrums. It was like he really accept her for who she was. She actually felt like she had friend. A real friend.

She had tried so hard to make real friends. She'd spent the entirety of last semester being tormented and teased by most of the student body due to her ears and tail. At first it didn't bother her, until that asshole who was hell bent on ruining her life had pulled on her tail and she smacked him. Unfortunately, the faculty sided with the bully because he was a "good kid" as they said.

Rukia knew it was an excuse. Most of the people at Tokyo U secretly discriminated against Nekojin. She was lucky she only got a slap on the wrist because it was her first offense but that incident changed her.

After a while, she began wearing the hoodie and oversized pants to hide her birthright but the bullying never stopped. She knew other Nekojin on campus but none in her department. It was hard when she only saw them in passing, especially since she went out of her way to hide under her hoodie. She didn't even try to talk to other Nekojin now, embarrassed with herself about how she hid her heritage. The only Nekojin she ever talked to was Yoruichi and she barely saw her.

All Rukia wanted was some peace and maybe to have a real college experience. Not the same horrible treatment she'd received in high school. Unfortunately, fate was not so kind. And now the only chance she had to have a real friend was ruined because she'd flipped out and hit him, again!

She had hoped…that she could have enjoyed living like normal girl for just a bit longer. The last few days had been like a dream. She could be herself in front of him. Let loose and not regret anything. It was like having a real life that she didn't need to be embarrassed about.

It was hard when even her family didn't accept her. Her brother had adopted her after her sister Hisana, who was also a Nekojin, had passed away. It was Hisana's last wish that Byakuya formally adopt her in the hopes that it would lead to a better life for her.

Unfortunately, being a Nekojin adopted into a human family was awkward to say the least. Even her own adoptive brother seemed to scorn her, always forcing her to do what she could not to embarrass him.

If her own family couldn't accept her…how could Ichigo? Rukia knew he was different but…

No. It was better this way. Having friends meant that sooner or later, someone would get hurt. That person was often Rukia. It was hard not ever having any real friends. Then she met the stubborn, orange-haired jerk at the store and took a chance. She could still hardly believe that she'd given him her number but he was the first person to honestly make her laugh in years. That was reason enough to try.

Over the course of the week she had grown attached to him. Having someone to listen to and talk to was a godsend. She felt normal and above all, happy. That was worth the risk of him discovering her heritage. Besides, if he just didn't know she was a Nekojin, everything would be fine. But that attitude had led her to this fiasco.

Rukia spied her phone and sent him a quick, apologetic text, hoping he'd get the message. There. That was the end of it. No way would he be interested now. It was best to cut things off before they got in too deep.

Man, it was going to be awkward with him in four of her classes from now on…

Then her phone buzzed. A reply from Ichigo…

_Meet me at the convenience store. The one we know._

She reread the one line nearly twenty times. He actually wanted to see her again. Even after hitting him in the face for the second time. She stared desperately at her phone and didn't move. It seems she took too long and it buzzed again…

_Trust me._

Okay, now that hurt. Rukia wanted to trust him, she really did. It's just that trust was not something she gave lightly. Too many people had betrayed her because of her being a Nekojin. So why did she trust the guy who she had fought with several times since their first meeting!

He just seemed different than everyone else and not just his hair. Despite her harsh treatment of him, he actually seemed to enjoy spending time with her. Or at least she thought he did. And truth be told, she enjoyed his company as well. Their spats put her in a remarkably good mood and for the first time in years, she was enjoying life.

The only question now was…did she trust him enough to see him again. And more importantly, how important was he to her…

* * *

><p>Ichigo stood outside the convenience store, patiently waiting. He'd never gotten a response from Rukia but he went anyway. Whether she showed or not didn't matter to him. He needed to be there.<p>

As he waited he tried to plan what he wanted to say but nothing seemed right. An apology would be stupid at this point but he wanted to reassure her that he wasn't intimidated by her Nekojin heritage.

Ichigo was lost in thought when he heard footsteps. He looked to see a hoodie clan Rukia running to meet him. He was overjoyed. She actually came! That alone was good enough for him. Or so he thought.

As she reached him, she abruptly stopped. "Hey, Dandelion." She said plainly, trying not to sound awkward.

"Hey yourself, Midget."

No pain followed the comment. She didn't kick him or punch him or even insult him. Strangely, he missed it.

"So…" Rukia began, "What did you want?" She was nervous and he could tell. Thinking back on it, it must have looked pretty suspicious when he demanded her to meet him here. He seriously needed to work on his tact.

"I just wanted to talk to you."

"That's what a phone is for."

Of course, she'd be defensive about this. He'd expected it. "I mean about what happened today."

Rukia hung her head, hiding her eyes with her hoodie. "There's nothing to talk about."

Ichigo was getting annoyed by her reluctance, "So you being embarrassed about being a Nekojin has nothing to do with it?" he challenged.

She glared up at him. "You wouldn't understand..."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" he shot back.

"Just like it sounds." Rukia kept her voice even. It had to be this way. No matter how nice he was, he'd only get hurt if he hung around her. She couldn't stand to let anyone get hurt because of her. "Why are you so concerned anyway? It's not like we're really friends."

Her voice was cold and distant and her eyes were hard. Ichigo hated that look, especially when he'd seen the way she could smile. And besides that, her words cut deep.

"We _are_ friends." His answer was plain but effective. "It doesn't matter that we've only known each other for a week. What matters is that we enjoy each other's company. So, yeah. I'm concerned because my friend is in trouble. Get over it."

Rukia held her gaze. He was making it very hard for her to protect him from the ridicule that would eventually follow if their friendship continued. But there was no going back now. For his sake as much as hers, she needed to end their friendship.

She turned around, snapping her head back to give him a glare that froze the blood in his veins. "There's no use talking to you about this. I don't want anything to do with you anymore, got it? Trust me…its better this way…" She began walking away but he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Rukia! Just listen to me will you?" She jerked his hand away and glared back at him.

"Let go of me!" she shout as she took a step away from him. She glanced back at Ichigo, who looked incredibly dejected. Rukia hated to see that pain but it was too late now. She glared at him with tears brimming in her eyes. "If you follow me…I'll never forgive you."

Rukia bolted away from a stunned Ichigo. He couldn't believe it. Just like that, she removed herself from his life. The crazy, maddening, beautiful, fun, astounding midget had just told him to get out of her life. For some reason, his anger began to boil. Not at her but himself.

All of this just because he'd seen her ears!

"Dammit!" He smashed his fist into the wall of the convenience store. The pain from his hand was nothing compared to the pain in his chest. One thing was for sure. This wasn't over. No matter what, she needed help and he was going to be there for her; whether she wanted it or not.

As Ichigo headed home he couldn't stop thinking about what to do next. If he kept this up, he wouldn't see Rukia until Monday and by then it could be too late. Unfortunately, he had no way of contacting her. No way would she answer her cell if it was from him. Damn! His luck couldn't have been worse!

As he approached his apartment he noticed a figure standing outside Urahara's shop. It was official. Luck had abandoned him.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

What will Ichigo do? Who could possibly help him now? Don't think to hard about it…

Please Review. Thanks and see ya next time!


	6. Who Cares? I Do!

We're The Same

Chapter 5: Who Cares? I do!

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author Note: Thanks to all the wonderful people who read and reviewed my work. It means a lot and thanks for all the support and confidence! Keep up the great work everyone!

* * *

><p>Rukia stormed into her dorm Friday night, intent on locking herself in her room for the rest of eternity. Unfortunately, she ran right into Yoruichi—Literally.<p>

"Where's the fire, Rukia?" the Nekojin woman glanced down, even with the hood up she saw tears streaming down the young girl's face. "Rukia! What's wrong!"

Rukia pushed away from her and bowed her head. "Nothing. Everything's fine." She tried to get past the tall Nekojin but was blocked by Yoruichi's hand.

"Seriously, Rukia. What happened?" Yoruichi's concern was devastating Rukia. She just wanted to get past Yoruichi and to her room. "Did something happen?" she persisted. Again Rukia stayed silent. Too bad Yoruichi was too smart for her own good. "Did something happen with Ichigo?"

Rukia's head shot up and she shouted, "It's none of your business!"

She pushed past her fellow Nekojin and ran up the stairs, leaving Yoruichi with a pained look on her face. Ichigo was going to answer for this; Yoruichi would make sure of it.

* * *

><p>Rukia didn't sleep well that night. In fact, she barely slept at all. After crying herself to sleep, she didn't feel like anything in the world was fair anymore. She felt horrible for treating Ichigo like he was nothing to her. Even though she knew it was best, she still hated herself for it.<p>

It was Saturday so she decided to stay in her room all day. It was safer that way. She didn't have anywhere to go plus she didn't feel like going anywhere anyway. She was too afraid of running into Ichigo and she wasn't ready for that yet. Ironically, the thought of leaving her room involved most likely bumping into him. It didn't help that he was the reason she left her room most of the time, other than for going to class. For now, her room was a safe haven. With her curtains drawn, she felt safe letting her ears and tail do their thing. She always felt so cramped when she covered them. God this sucked! And only three and a half more years of college to go!

She tried to distract herself by reading her manga. She had a really hard time getting into one right now, Ichigo's voice kept popping into her head. He kept making fun of her choice of reading material. So much so that she had cracked him upside the head with one earlier that week.

Rukia giggled at the memory but it turned to sadness. Times like that were gone now and she just needed to accept it. After pushing all thoughts of Ichigo from her mind, as best she could, she found herself lying on her bed, kicking her feet and reading. She barely noticed the knock at her door.

At first she thought she had imagined it and continued reading but then the knocks got more furious, not to mention louder. But who could it be? It's not like she had any friends…not now anyway. It was probably Yoruichi. No doubt she was here to try to cheer Rukia up after what happened yesterday. Damn Nekojin was too nice for her own good!

Either way, Rukia decided to be courteous and answer it. Before that she pulled her hoodie up. She left her sweat pants on, tail exposed. After all, it's not like she was gonna invite whoever it was in, even if it was Yoruichi. The banging increased and she yelled, "I'm coming! Hold you're horses!"

She pulled open the door slightly and looked out. "What the hell do…you…want…?" All she found was a shirt staring back at her. Wait. A shirt? She realized whoever was there must be a giant…No! She glanced up to see Ichigo smirking down at her.

"Hey Midget!"

Rukia's mouth fell open. She couldn't possibly form words at the moment but she tried. "I-I-Ichi…Wha…How…?" then she shook her head and regained her wits. "What are you doing here!" she screamed. "You're not allowed to be here!"

"I know. So can you please let me in before someone finds us?"

Rukia saw red. Now what? She couldn't possibly let him in! But leaving him out there would spell doom for both of them. Men were not allowed into the girls' dorm, unless they had permission and there was no way Ichigo had permission. If the faculty found out he was here to see her, she'd be blamed. It was a violation that could get her expelled! How did he get in here! What was she supposed to do!

Ichigo continued to smirk at her. He knew her answer already and kind of enjoyed the look of panic on her normally smug face. The door flung open and he was pulled inside by her amazingly strong grip. She slammed the door behind her and locked it. She turned back to Ichigo and noticed he was already making himself comfortable on her bed, surveying her room.

"What are you doing here!" she hissed, trying not to be loud.

"I was in the neighborhood." His response was sarcastic and playful. Rukia glared at him but it didn't faze him. "I just wanted to visit my good friend, Rukia." He said with false innocence.

This was a nightmare. Why was he here? She made it clear that he needed to say away from her. Did he not get the message or was he just stupid! Why did he persist on following her around like a stray cat…okay, bad analogy, but either way she needed answers.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. What are you doing here?" Her voice demanded respect and a good answer. The smirk left Ichigo's face and was replaced by his usual scowl.

"Well, essentially…I came to tell you off."

Rukia's face twisted in confusion and fear. "What?" Tell her off? That didn't sound pleasant. It sounded like he was going to rip into her for being a Nekojin! It's not that she hadn't experienced ravenous insults before but each little insult dug into her heart and pushed her further down into a dark hole. Rukia steeled herself and waited for him to speak. The sooner he turned on her the sooner she could forget him and move on.

Ichigo leaned back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. "I'm here to tell you that you don't get to decided when our friendship ends. That's gotta be a mutual thing and I have no desire to end our friendship. Oh, and by the way, I'm ignoring all of your opinions from now on! Giving me that crap about not understanding, that's a low blow even for you!"

Rukia's fear and sadness was replaced by her usual fire, which began to resurface as he continued to insult her. "What'd you say? How dare you say something like that to me!"

She was about to smack him when she noticed his eyes drift to her side. It was then she made a horrific discovery. Her tail was gently swaying behind her and his eyes were glued to the rhythm. She gasped and grabbed her tail. She tried to stuff it down her sweat pants but it was difficult to manage with the blush growing across her face. Could this get more embarrassing!

His voice broke her concentration. "Why are you trying to hide it?" His voice was innocent and unassuming. She glanced at him, incredibly embarrassed, but said nothing. Ichigo smirked at her and said, "I think it's cute."

Rukia's heart began to race. This was more than she could handle right now. She furiously tried to push her tail down when she felt him grab her hoodie. Her eyes widened in fear as he pulled back her hood, exposing her fluffy ears. She instantly covered them with her hands and backed away from him.

She glared up at him, expecting the worst but she found something extraordinary. He was smiling at her. Not grinning or smirking but actually smiling. It was the first time he'd smiled since she'd met him. Her eyes became fixated on his smile. It was so warm and comforting, like the rays of the sun; nothing like his trademark scowl.

"Believe it or not…We're the same." Rukia was lost in his words as he continued. "It may not be exactly the same but…Ever since I was kid, people made fun of me because of my hair. I understand what it's like to be an outcast for being who you are."

Rukia averted her gaze. "No, you don't. Around here…Nekojin aren't well received by other students. You saw it yourself." Her words were oozing with contempt and Ichigo hoped it wasn't because of him. "You're human," She continued, "How could you possibly…" she choked out.

The utter sadness in her voice was maddening. How could she let herself be brought down by those gutless assholes! Okay, enough was enough for Ichigo!

"Human or not, I can't accept it when people discriminate against others simply because of how they were born. It's not right and I won't stand for it." Rukia continued to hold down her ears, trying to block out his comforting words. Ichigo decided on another approach.

"Why didn't you just tell me you were a Nekojin?" he finally asked the burning question but he kept his voice even. "Did you think that I'd not want to hang out with you if I knew you were Nekojin? Did you think that you having those ears and tail would make me instantly hate you or something? Did you really think I was that shallow?"

Now she'd had enough. His naiveté about the real world was getting on her nerves. He had no idea the ridicule that she went through and continued to endure just for being different. His attitude was making her repressed feelings bubble to the surface.

"YES, I DID!" she finally shouted at him, "The moment people see that I'm a Nekojin, they change! They treat me like I'm…beneath them or something! Is it so wrong that I didn't want that to happen this time! That I wanted to have a friend that could accept me and like me for who I really am and not instantly judge me for my heritage! How could you possibly understand that!"

Rukia glared back at him, huffing for air. Amazingly, he was still smiling at her. That warm smile that felt like it was radiating sunlight. How? How could he still smile so warmly and comforting to her after all she'd done? What the hell was wrong with this guy! Wouldn't his life be easier without her around!

"Rukia," he said, stopping her thoughts, "I like you for you. It doesn't matter if you're a Nekojin or not. In fact, who cares? Only stupid people get hung up on crap like that. And I know you're not stupid. You're a business major for heaven's sake!" She stared at him in shock, not believing what she was hearing.

"Anyway. At the very least it doesn't matter to me. All that matters is what you think of yourself. I still want to be your friend but I can only do that if you let me...if you _want_ me to be your friend. Please, let me be your friend." His eyes were now pleading her.

Rukia's eyes began to well up with tears. "Do you understand what being my friend means?" He nodded. She didn't believe him. "It means that people aren't going to accept you. They're going to ridicule you, look down on you, and even attack you just for associating with me…"

"Don't worry about that. They already tried." Ichigo defiantly proclaimed. Rukia eyes went wide as he continued. "I'm not so easily beaten down, ya know. After all, my name means 'The One Who Protects' and like it or not I protect my friends."

"But don't you see! That's what I'm talking about! You got attacked because you stood up for me!" She screamed. She'd had a feeling something like that might have happened but since he didn't bring it up…

Ichigo's smile never faltered. "It doesn't bother me. I'm used to jackasses attacking me anyway. Hell, I've beaten up entire gangs because I've been mistaken for rival gang leaders."

Rukia could hardly believe the things he was telling her. "That's not the point! You don't understand! I can't ask you make that kind of sacrifice…especially not for me." She began to shake, her hands never leaving her ears. She tried to calm herself but she continued to shake. "You're a nice guy. You don't deserve to have to deal with that kind of…"

"Treatment?" She glanced at him when he finished her sentence. "I don't care what other people think. If I did, I'd have dyed my hair years ago!"

Ichigo bent down and looked her right into her beautiful, violet eyes. "_I _decide who's worth being friends with. And I decided that I want to be your friend. And you know why? Because I've never met anyone as interesting as you, that's why! It doesn't matter if you're a Nekojin or not. I think it's great actually. I've always wanted to have a Nekojin for a friend."

He paused to take a breath. "I think you're fun and witty and the best thing that's happened to me since I moved here. And if anyone says otherwise, I'll kick their ass! So like it or not, from this moment on, you and I friends! End of discussion!"

Rukia felt that she must be dreaming. How could anyone so willingly accept her after how she'd treated him? How could he…accept her so immediately? How was he so okay with her Nekojin heritage? He barely knew her. And yet, here he was denying her the right to discontinue their friendship. Was it a trick? Trying to lure her into a false sense of security so he could destroy her whenever he felt like it? No. She didn't know exactly why but she was sure that his words were true. She was sure his words were genuine and from the heart.

Rukia felt a warm, comforting feeling in her chest. And for the first time in her entire life, she felt accepted. And the fact was, it was for who she really was and nothing else. She took a deep breath and let go of her ears. They stood straight up and she proudly smiled back at him.

"I guess if you're so lost without me…I'll give you another chance." Her voice was shaky but she didn't mind. She was too happy to really care because he was still smiling at her.

* * *

><p>"So how'd you get in here anyway? Men aren't allowed after all."<p>

They had been talking quietly for a while but Rukia had neglected to ask the important question. Rukia sat on her bed while Ichigo occupied the only chair in the room. They had been chatting about school and other small topics until she asked the question. Ichigo knew it was a loaded one and he made every effort to not bring it up and he'd done well…Until now.

Ichigo laughed nervously. "Well, it's kind of a long story…"

"Well, since you decided to invade my personal space and ruin the rest of my day, I'd say you better start talking. And make it snappy." Rukia's ears twitched a bit and her tail swayed behind her. She had been looking forward to this, he just knew it.

"Fine. Well…"

* * *

><p><em>The Night Before…<em>

_Ichigo saw the figure standing outside his landlord's shop. Even though he recognized it, he was in no mood to deal it. Unfortunately, Nekojin don't take kindly to being ignored. _

"_Ichigo," Yoruichi said firmly as he passed her. "Get inside." She pointed to the shop. "We're gonna have a talk." _

_Ichigo sighed but didn't stop. "Look, I've had really messed up day and I don't need a lecture right now—" He felt a powerful hand pull him back and toss him on the ground. A foot planted firmly on his chest, he look up to see the cat woman glaring down at him. If looks could kill, Ichigo and his entire family would be dead._

"_Now, Ichigo!" she hissed and pulled him up. So much for a nice evening at home…_

_Yoruichi tossed Ichigo into the waiting room of the store. As he landed he turned back and found the Nekojin inches from his face, a sinister look on her face. _

"_Tell me what you did to Rukia." Yoruichi had no need to yell, the ferocity of her voice was enough. Although petrified to the point of silence, Ichigo found the words. _

"_I didn't do anything…" Yoruichi's glare intensified. "It was an accident!" _

"_Just tell me what happened…" She cracked her knuckles._

"_Best tell her now, Ichigo." Urahara said from his seat above the pair, obviously enjoying the spectacle. "It'll only get worse if you wait. Trust me." _

_Ichigo glared at him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you!" he shouted at the crazy shopkeeper. Yoruichi grabbed him by the collar and hissed at him, urging him to continue. _

"_Talk!" she finally yelled at him. "What did you do to that poor girl!" _

"_I accidently pulled back her hood and saw her ears!" _

_The room when silent. Yoruichi dropped him, a blank look on her face. "Oh god…" she whispered. "You mean, you really didn't know she was…"_

"_A Nekojin? No, not until today." He finished. Yoruichi moved past him and took a seat near Urahara. She was unable to hide her amazement. Ichigo got up and crossed to them. He took a seat across from them and waited. He wasn't sure what he was waiting for but he knew he needed to do so. _

_The shopkeeper broke the silence. "I think the question now is…What's next?" _

_Ichigo scoffed. "What do mean 'what's next'? I know what's next. I need to talk to her." He informed them. Yoruichi glanced at him. "I don't know how but I need find some way to talk to her before long. The longer this goes on the harder it'll become." _

"_Ichigo." Yoruichi addressed him with solemn eyes. "What exactly are you going to say to her?" The warning in her voice was undoubtedly clear. Ichigo returned her gaze. _

"_I'm not exactly sure _what _I'm going to say. But she needs to know something…" he paused, trying to find a better way to explain it._

_Yoruichi glare intensified. "And what does she need to know exactly?" _

_Ichigo couldn't run from this, he'd never forgive himself if he did. "She needs to know that I don't care that she's a Nekojin. She needs to know that I'm not upset or that I don't understand why she hid it. Above all, I need to tell her that I'm still her friend, regardless of her heritage." Ichigo wasn't sure where those words came from but they were all true and he needed to convey them to his emotionally distressed friend. _

_Yoruichi had to stop herself from gasping. This kid had more guts and honesty in him than half the students on campus. Hell, probably more than all of Tokyo. She now understood why Urahara let him stay with him. After all, Urahara was an unforgiving man. He wouldn't just rent his studio to anyone. This kid was special. And from the look of it, just the kind of person Rukia needed right now. _

_She smiled at him and said, "I'll come by tomorrow at eleven. Be ready to go by then." The Nekojin stood up and headed for the door. _

"_Wait!" Ichigo called to her, "What do mean by 'be ready to go'?" _

_Yoruichi glanced back and grinned at him. "I'll get you in. The rest is up to you, kid."_

* * *

><p>Rukia could hardly believe the story. "So, Yoruichi was the one who got you in here?" Figures…That woman was always interfering in Rukia's private life. Why should this be any different?<p>

"Yup. She made up the excuse that I was gonna carry some huge box out for her." He grinned. "As soon as she finds it!" They both laughed, each drinking in the sound of the other's amusement.

"Let me guess." Rukia said stifling her laughing fit. "She's off in some distant part of the dorm looking for a box that may or may not exist."

Ichigo chuckled. "Actually, she's staying close by. In case, someone comes looking for me." Rukia eyes widened. "No need to worry. She promised not to eavesdrop. Then again, with her Nekojin hearing…"

Rukia punched his arm. "It's not like we can hear for miles around, ya know! Our hearing is only slightly better because our ears are on the top of our head and not the sides." She informed him proudly.

He smirked and spied the growing smile on her face. All that trouble just to see her smile again. What was he going to do with himself? Not that he really cared as long as he could continue to see her smile. His gaze shifted to her ears, they twitched and flittered as Rukia explained all about her amazing hearing that was afforded by the higher altitude of her hearing devices.

"Hey, Rukia." He stopped her mid-sentence. "I was wondering…" he stole another glance at her ears but quickly looked to the floor.

"Trying to decide which is more interesting—the floor or me?" She chided. "The answer should be obvious but just in case…" She pointed to the floor but then thrust her thumb to point at herself. Ichigo gave a quick chuckle before nervously scratching his hair.

"Yeah, well…"

Rukia began to tire of his hesitation. She got up off her bed put her hands on her hips and glared at him, tail swishing behind her. "Let me guess…You wanna touch 'em." Ichigo stiffened as her glare penetrated him.

"Well, yeah…" He fidgeted nervously waiting for an answer. When he didn't receive one he asked, "If that's alright with you."

Rukia plopped down on her bed and pretended to consider it. "Well…You have been really pushy lately. And if I don't keep you in line then no one will…" Ichigo initially took that as a no and sulked before, "But I guess a little bit won't hurt…If you ask nicely."

Ichigo blushed and Rukia reveled in his embarrassment. It all came down to a matter of pride for the male. Unfortunately, pride has no place when a cute Nekojin offers her ears to be scratched. He stood up, which surprised Rukia, before slightly bowing to his Nekojin friend.

"May I…pet you?"

Okay, that came out all kinds of wrong. Rukia pulled back and squinted her eyes at him. "You want to _pet_ me? What kind of pervert are you?"

Ichigo's cheeks burned brighter. "W-Wha… That's not what I meant! I only meant that I wanted to rub your soft ears between my fingers and…" he gasped at his word choice and turned away from her. That could not have gone worse! Or so he thought.

Rukia tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to see her smiling at him, her ears slightly twitching. She slowly grabbed his hand and placed it on her head, between her ears. "Just don't be rough with them, okay? They're sensitive."

That was all the invitation Ichigo needed. He glided his hand over her left ear and marveled at the softness of it. It really was just like a cat's; soft, fluffy and so adorable to rub. He ventured his hand to the other and repeated the gesture. She didn't seem to mind so Ichigo began to lightly scratch behind her ears.

Rukia had kept her eyes on him, just in case he got too enthusiastic. But the moment he began to scratch her secret spot behind her ears, she slowly closed her eyes. The remarkable feeling of relief and pleasure was immense. She couldn't remember the last time she'd let someone pet…err, scratch her ears.

She tilted her head toward him to give him more access and he began rubbing and scratching her ears with both hands. A purr erupted from Rukia as she let him massage her fluffy ears. She gasped and pulled back, slightly embarrassed. She hadn't purred since she was a kitten…err, a kid. Then again, no one had even come close to touching her ears since she was a kid so…

"Sorry," Ichigo said, rubbing his own head. Rukia felt ashamed. It wasn't his fault she was shocked by her own purring.

"It's fine. I just wasn't really prepared for that…I guess." They stood in silence, not sure of what to say next. Ichigo stole a glance at her tail as it swished behind her. He tried to act like he hadn't but Rukia's sharp eyes caught him.

"What?" she asked sheepishly. "Don't tell me you wanna fondle my tail too?"

Ichigo waved his hands in front of his face. "No. No. I'm good." The shock of rubbing her ears hadn't faded yet and wasn't disappearing anytime soon. Rukia grinned at him.

"Well good. I wouldn't have let you anyway. I'm saving that first for my husband." Her grin widened and her teeth shone through. Ichigo nervously laughed. Not sure if it was really a joke or not. Then a thought struck him.

"Does that mean…I'm the first person you let pet, err- rub your ears?" It was possible. After all, she did like to hid her heritage. Rukia was slightly perplexed by the question but she wasn't sure why.

"Actually, you'd be the third."

Ichigo was instantly curious. "So, I'm third rate, huh? If you don't mind me asking, who were the first?"

Rukia's eyes softened. "My sister used to rub them for me when we were little. And the other…Well, let's just say I let on old friend try it once, but only once." Ichigo was tempted to ask more but knew it'd be pushing it, especially today. Rukia looked at her clock and noted that it was getting late. "Do you…need to go soon?" Damn, it was hard to squeeze that out!

Ichigo checked the time and sighed. He really should get going but after reclaiming their friendship it was hard to head out. "Yeah, I guess I'd better head out soon." Rukia's ears sank and her tail ceased to swing; she was obviously disappointed.

Ichigo grabbed his phone and called Yoruichi. Meanwhile, Rukia returned to her bed contemplating how to resolve the awkward silence that was soon to follow, at least until the Neko woman got there.

"She'll be here in a sec." Ichigo informed her, snapping her back to his attention. Again silence filled the space.

At last, Rukia looked up to him. "Ichigo." He turned to her. "Thank you."

It was all she really wanted to say to him. She wasn't really looking for anything but a smile. And she got one. He smiled at her with his handsome face and said, "No problem."

Rukia returned his smile with one as genuine as his own. Ichigo would never forget that wonderful, thankful smile as long as he lived. Then came a knock at the door. "Ichigo! Get out here! This thing's heavy!" Yoruichi shouted outside the door.

"You better go. Sounds like it's a dozy of a box." Ichigo nodded to her and headed for the door. "See you in class!" Rukia quickly called out before he hit the door. Ichigo turned his head to her.

"Count on it!" He was just about to open the door when he turned around and threw something at her. She caught it and realized it was her beanie, the one he'd pulled off her earlier. "Don't use that to hide anymore! Got it?" And with that he exited her room. Rukia couldn't help but hug the beanie close to her chest. After all…it smelt of Ichigo.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

That was an experience. Trust me when I say I labored over this for weeks! It took forever to get the right feel. In the end, it turned out great so I'm proud of it.

Please Review and keep on smiling. Thanks.


	7. Ideas and Confrontations

We're The Same

Chapter 6: Ideas and Confrontations

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Yoruichi demanded to know what happened and Ichigo humored her since seeing Rukia again was all due to her interference. He'd never admit it but if she hadn't gotten him to see Rukia so soon, he may not have been able to turn their friendship around. This alone was reason enough to give Yoruichi the juicy details. The story was followed by a friendly "warning" from Yoruichi to never let that sort of thing happen to Rukia again; a threat Ichigo took incredibly seriously.<p>

The night Ichigo had rescued Rukia from herself, they began texting again. Rukia had to practically beat herself away from her phone in time to go to sleep and Ichigo had to take the battery out of his to prevent further temptation. Luckily before they forced themselves away from their devices they made plans to hang out the next day.

It was Sunday and what awaited them was a beautiful, sunlit day. Ichigo was on his way to meet Rukia outside her dorm. Urahara had wished him luck as he left but he chose to ignore the shopkeeper. Ichigo considered it a miracle that she was meeting him at all. Then again, there was no way he'd let her retreat from his life without a fight. She was important to him, the only friend he had. Without her, college wouldn't be worth attending. Not now anyway. Sure, education was…important. But without people to enjoy it with it wasn't worth the horrific experience.

As he neared her dorm he saw her standing outside the door, waiting for him. However, what greeted him was frustrating. She was in her usual hoodie and baggy jeans, completely hiding her fluffy parts. Yes, he'd deemed them, her fluffy parts, and he wasn't ashamed. Because of this his usual scowl made an appearance on his face. She obviously noticed his look because as he approached she said, "I know what you're gonna say but just here me out."

"Alright, let me hear it." Ichigo waited for her answer. Rukia took a deep breath; she had rehearsed this all morning and hoped it still sounded feasible.

"_You_ may be comfortable with them but that doesn't mean that other people are. In case you didn't notice, not many people react positively to them."

"And by _them_ you mean…" He just had to make her say it.

"My ears and tail." She groaned. She knew he understood without needing to be told but humoring him was better than a fight. Ichigo grinned at her, proud that he forced her to admit it.

"My point is," She continued, "I'm not just suddenly going to unleash my secret to the world."

Ichigo scoffed. "Yeah, because it's such a secret to those assholes who always mess with you." Ichigo instantly regretted his words. Rukia had her head downcast and didn't speak— "Too soon." Ichigo joked.

Rukia glared up at him but Ichigo saw the playfulness in her eyes. He really should have seen that kick coming.

* * *

><p>His shin was still aching as they perused the local mall. Ichigo thought he was okay with Rukia's decision to hide her fluffy parts. He was wrong. Not ten minutes after they arrived he was resisting the urge to pull back her hood and scratch her ears. Let's face it…he was addicted! Plus, he really wanted to hear her purr again.<p>

He mentally smacked himself. No. Bad thoughts go away! Come again another day…or never! Wait…were they really that bad? After all, she did look better when she didn't hide who she really was, despite the beating he usually received for poking fun at her height. Convincing her that it was okay to be who she really was would be a challenge like no other but it was one he'd gladly undertake.

Ichigo noticed a music store and had a brilliant idea. "Hey. Let's check that out." He said pointing to the store. Rukia shrugged.

"Not really my thing but if you want."

Ichigo was stunned. "Not your thing? Are you telling me you don't listen to music?" There was no way that she…

"Pretty much, yeah." Ichigo's jaw hit the floor. Was she for real? She ignored his utter shock and continued, "My family didn't really tolerate any form of music other than classical so I never really got into it." This was a problem that needed to be rectified, now!

"Now we _have_ to go in." He informed her. "You need to be educated in the ways of badass music!" He grabbed her wrist and tugged her into the store, the Nekojin whining as they went.

Ichigo dragged her over to the pop music section. His eyes scanned for the item he was in need of. Luckily, it wasn't far. He pulled her along, her eyes wide. She had been captivated at all the interesting types of music she had never heard of, especially all the shiny covers they bore. Before she knew what was happening, Ichigo had pulled off her hood, exposing her dainty ears. The moment the cold air hit them Rukia's anger burned. Before she could crush Ichigo's jaw with her fist, she felt him place something new and oddly shaped on her head.

"There"

Rukia slowly lifted her hands to the weird covering. It felt odd. It covered her ears, which was not easy. She pulled them off to see headphones in her hand. Rukia was very confused. Of course she'd seen headphones before but she never considered getting them. After all, she'd have to expose her ears in public and…wait…her ears!

Rukia dropped the headphones and pulled her hood back up. Ichigo sighed. "How can you listen to music with your hood up?" his sarcasm was not helping.

"By shutting you up so I can peacefully listen to it." Rukia growled at him. Ichigo sighed.

"You have to use the headphones if you want to listen to the music," he said picking up the set she dropped. "Just take your hood off and…"

"No."

"Rukia…"

"I said no."

"It's only for a few minutes…"

"Too long."

"If you like it, I'll buy it for you…"

"No—wait…" Rukia paused and considered her options. Ichigo had her now.

"I really want you try this. I swear you'll like it." Ichigo held the headphones out to her. Rukia eyed him suspiciously.

"You know what I think. I think you're just trying to find a way to peek at my ears."

Ichigo held his ground. If he showed that she was right in any way, he was screwed. Sure, he did want to see her fluffy parts again but even more, he wanted her to listen to some actual music.

"If I really wanted that…" he tossed the headphones at her, startling her as she was forced to catch them. In her confusion, he pulled back her hood again and once again her fuzzy ears perked out. "I would just do that." He informed her with pride.

Without thinking, Rukia thrust the headphones onto her ears in a vain attempt to hide them. Ichigo smirked. It took Rukia a moment to realize he'd tricked her.

"Bastard!" she hissed. Then she heard a strange melody. It was unlike anything she'd ever heard before. The rhythm was catchy. The singer was hypnotizing. All in all, Rukia was frozen by the wondrous music.

"What is this?" Rukia was barely able to squeeze out that much. Ichigo had to listen very carefully to hear her.

"It's called 'music' and normal people listen to it." Rukia kicked his shin without even glancing his way.

"I mean, who is this? It's so…so…happy." Rukia smiled wide and pressed the headphones into her ears even more. Ichigo was pleasantly surprised. Didn't take long for her to find music she liked. That was good. He checked the current singer.

"This is…Joe Inoue." He informed her. "He's become pretty popular lately. Even I've listened to some of his…" Ichigo turned to see Rukia completely lost in the music. She was in her own little world. She had completely forgotten about her exposed ears, which were twitching in excitement at the magical noise coursing through them.

Ichigo couldn't keep from smiling. The blissful look of happiness on his friend's face was mesmerizing. Then, Rukia's look of happiness suddenly faded. The song must have ended. Rukia's face abruptly changed to a look of unfettered determination.

"I must find him!" Rukia declared before tossing off the headphones and rummaging through the popular section. She was so absorbed in her search that she didn't remember to cover her fuzzy ears. Ichigo had to keep himself from laughing as she frantically searched for her album, her ears falling as she found the wrong one but rising again when she pick up another. It was cute to watch her ears go up and down.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted at him, still desperately searching. "I can't find him! What was his name again!"

Ichigo roared with laughter but Rukia didn't find it funny. Imagine, looking at each CD without knowing the singer, just guessing if the picture matched the music or not. You really couldn't blame Ichigo for laughing. Well, Rukia could. She threw a case at him, which he was lucky enough to catch before it hit him. Not even such a violent outburst stopped his laughter. Finally, he stopped long enough to say, "I can't believe you were so zoned out!"

Rukia was about to throw another case at him when Ichigo tossed the CD she'd thrown at him back at her. "You didn't even know that this was the one!" Ichigo continued to laugh as Rukia inspected the case. It was Joe Inoue's latest…and she'd thrown it at him!

Rukia cradled the CD in her arms as she kicked Ichigo in the side. His laughter abruptly stopped and he wheezed in pain.

"Jerk!" she shouted at him. "You nearly got him killed!" She stomped away from him and headed for the counter. "Hey, Dandelion!" She shouted back to him. "You promised, now get your ass up here and pay!" Ichigo made his way up to the counter, a bright smile on his face. Rukia's blissful ignorance lasted for several more minutes until she glanced at her reflection in the mirror and noticed her dainty ears fluttering in excitement. Ichigo got such a smack for that one.

* * *

><p>Ichigo began to regret revealing the magic of music to her. For the first time in Rukia's life, she had a CD player; which she forced Ichigo to buy because he had promised. She listened to the music nearly the rest of the day. Ichigo had a hard time actually talking to her; she was way too into this guy's music.<p>

Rukia had found a way to have her hood up and keep the headphones on. She looked like a cult member, blindly walking around nodding her head to the melody. Ichigo had enough of her silent treatment. He grinned to himself as he pulled back her hood again but to his amazement, Rukia just kept walking. Ichigo stared blankly as she continued on without him. Okay, this was getting ridiculous! Ichigo watched her avoid other shoppers as they stared at her like she was a crazed lunatic on the loose.

If Ichigo had been just a little less kind, he would have let her keep going until she eventually realized her own dilemma. But seeing is how she'd never forgive him and possibly strangle him and leave his body in a ditch, he figured it best to do something about this.

He tried calling her name several times but she didn't even look up. He glanced at her ears and got an interesting idea.

It had to be done!

Ichigo gently reached out and scratched the back of Rukia's ears. Rukia, who was suddenly very aware of the world around her, let out a high-pitch wail. Her eyes snapped shut; she whirled around and punched her offender directly in the nose. Rukia slowly opened her eyes to see a writhing Ichigo on the ground, his nose bleeding.

"Oops…" she whispered, rather embarrassed, noticing several people staring at her. Rukia's cheeks burned and she felt the top of her head to discover her hood was missing. She furiously pulled it back up and used it to try to hide from their gazes. As she did, a disoriented Ichigo found his way to his feet, holding his nose.

"Remind me never to do this with you again." He chided as she glanced at him. They quickly made their escape and Ichigo headed into the nearest restroom. Rukia had finally turned her player off and silently waited for him. As he immerged from the restroom she practically charged him.

"What the hell was that about?" she growled. "Did you just feel like molesting me or something? Seriously, what is wrong with you!"

"Me! You were the one who completely ignored me and forgot I was here!" Ichigo shot back. "And I did _not_ molest you! I just rubbed your ears a bit. You didn't complain last night!"

Ichigo got very silent, realizing what he'd said as Rukia's glare intensified. "That's because I _let_ you last night! God, you sound so perverted! You can't just go around touching people's private parts! It's just wrong!" Her anger faded slightly as she heard what she said. Great, now she was doing it too! Innuendo was going to be the death of them.

"Fine! I'm sorry I touched your fluffy parts…err, ears. Sorry I touched your ears." Ichigo blushed and turned away from her. Rukia felt guilt creep up on her.

"No. It's as much my fault as it is yours. I was the one spacing out after all." She hoped it would be enough and it was. Ichigo turned back to her, a slight smirk on his face. "Besides, you still own me dinner." She reminded him.

Ichigo's eyes widened. "What? Why do I have pay for your food?"

Rukia grinned at him. "Tell me. Who was it that bought your precious and, dare I say, very expensive books so you could attend class and not fail at everything?" Ichigo scoffed. Damn her for always being right. He needed to change that. He deserved to be right every so often too…

"Fine. But let's get something from the mall's food court. I'm tired and my nose still hurts like hell." Rukia smirked at the mention of his pain. Ichigo suddenly felt that she nearly broke his nose on purpose; sadistic little midget.

They made their way to the food court and Rukia ordered the most expensive ramen bowl she could find. Ichigo's wallet was really hurting now. He was originally going to get applications for work from different shops in the mall but once again, Rukia had thrown his world off balance. With no money and rent coming up, he was hurting for a job. There was always the option of asking Urahara for a job but it'd be a cold day in hell before Ichigo got that desperate.

Rukia went and found them a good table while Ichigo waited for their food. As the cashier brought him their order, he stole a glance towards Rukia's direction. At first Ichigo wasn't sure why, until the cashier leaned in and asked, "You with that Neko-chick?" Something about how he said it really pissed Ichigo off.

"She has a name you know." He fired back, grabbing the ramen bowls. Ichigo proceeded to leave but not before hearing the cashier say under his breath, "Freak."

Ichigo was ready to go back and challenge the fast food worker when he noticed several guys crowding around Rukia's table. He increased his pace.

* * *

><p>Rukia decided not to listen to her new source of happiness until she got back to her dorm. After all, she didn't want a repeat performance of Ichigo's beat-down. The thought of her punching him brought a nervous smile to her lips. She did revel in beating on him but she never really meant to hurt him. She would need to be more careful with him; he might actually break at this rate.<p>

For this reason, she had donned her hood once more and patiently waited for him to return. God, he was taking a long time. She'd need to "educate" him on not making a lady wait when he returned. The thought made her giggle to herself until suddenly, she felt surrounded. She looked up to see a group of four guys encasing her table. Great, just what she needed. It's not like her life wasn't hectic enough.

"Hey kitty cat," one of them said, taking a seat opposite her. Rukia tensed, they must have seen her fly off the handle and followed her. Oh God, they must be some of _those_ guys. "Saw your little outburst back there. I gotta say, you look pretty damn cute when you're mad."

His pathetic attempt at a complement only further insulted her. "Whatever. Do you want something?" Rukia scoffed. Where was Ichigo when she needed him? The one time it would be good for him to be around…

"What's with the hostility? We just want talk. Ya know, get better acquainted." They shared a sickening laugh and Rukia could feel their intentions. "You're a pretty fierce little kitty. Looks like you scared off that bleached guy you were with." Rukia delivered a fiery glare at him. How dare he talk about Ichigo, and to some degree her, like that!

"Besides," the one in front leaned closer to her and continued, "A cute little kitty cat like you shouldn't be out here by yourself. Who knows what might happen to a sexy kitty like you?"

The thug licked his lips and Rukia nearly gagged. These guys were obviously freaks with some kind of Nekojin fetish. She had heard stories about people like this but never thought she'd actually meet one. That was the one advantage to never leaving her room.

Rukia intensified the glare aimed at the one in front of her. "I'll ask one more time. Do you want something? Or are you just here to prove you're lack of seduction skills?" The evil grin on their faces didn't let up and she was getting nervous, though she refused show it.

"As a matter of fact, we do need something." The one speaking nodded to his friend. Before Rukia could turn around, the guy behind her pulled back her hood, exposing her ears. She reached back to grab the hood but another caught her hand and pulled her up. She tried to slap at the one holding her hand but her other arm was gripped by another one of the thugs.

Rukia cursed her luck. It was late and not many people were in the food court. She couldn't see Ichigo anywhere either. The one in front stood up and approached her. Rukia's icy glare did little to slow his advance. Dammit, Ichigo! Where the hell are you!

"Hold her still boys." Rukia struggled harder but they held her in place. "I enjoyed that cute little wail of yours earlier," he reached his hand out and roughly grabbed her ears. "Scream for me kitty cat!" He pulled and twisted her sensitive ears, causing Rukia to grunt in pain. Seriously, how sick and twisted can you be to manhandle a Nekojin's sensitive ears! "Like that ya little Neko-bitch!" the thug growled as he pulled harder, the maniacal grin on his face widening into a sickening smirk. His fingernails dug into her soft ears and she fought back tears of pain. No way would she cry over this!

The thug smirked, grabbed her with both hands and began violently pulling on her tender ears. Rukia was about to scream when suddenly a fist crashed into the thug's face, Ichigo came out of nowhere, bashing the bastard's jaw with his knuckles. If the punk's jaw wasn't broken, Ichigo would soon make sure it would be. The only thug not holding Rukia charged Ichigo only to receive a punch to the gut and a knee to the face.

As one of the thugs holding Rukia called out to their boss and she seized the opportunity. She tore her hand away from him aimed low, bashing his groin with tremendous force. He fell to the floor and Rukia ripped away from the other thug. She delivered a swift kick to that one's head. As he fell to the ground, Rukia smashed his privates as well before kicking both of the thugs in the stomach for good measure.

Ichigo and Rukia stood panting, recovering from the fight. Ichigo glanced at Rukia and asked, "You okay?"

"Oh, yeah…" Rukia said breathing heavily, "Just dandy."

"Seriously," Ichigo pressed. Rukia finally caught her breath and grinned at him, surprisingly happy that he was so worried about her.

"I had everything under control." Ichigo scoffed at her bravado. "What was that for?" she demanded.

"Yeah, you were doing just fine getting manhandled until I saved your ass." Ichigo suddenly had to avoid a kick aimed for his shin. "Hey! What the hell was that for?"

"I could have handled these guys just fine but noooo. You just had to be the hero!" Rukia shouted at him.

Ichigo was flabbergasted. "Oh, yeah. You did really well trembling in fear as that guy tugged on your fluffy parts! Face it. If I hadn't saved you, God knows what they would have done to you!"

Rukia puffed her chest out to him. "Okay. For one thing, I don't need to be saved and I was not trembling! Second, I don't think God's the only one who knows what they had in mind! And third, my 'fluffy parts'! Did you really just call my adorable ears 'fluffy parts'!"

Ichigo blushed. "That's not the point, Rukia" he shot back still embarrassed. "The point is; if I hadn't come back when I did, you'd be in serious trouble! At the very least I think I deserve a thank you!"

"Fine! Thank You!"

"You're Welcome!"

Ichigo stuck his tongue out at Rukia while she gave him a fierce glare. This lasted for a nearly a minute before each of them started to crack. The first to break was Ichigo. He let a small snicker erupt from his throat. Rukia couldn't hold it in after that. They both started laughing as loud as they could, not caring if anyone saw or heard them. As the laughter began to die down, Rukia pulled her hood back up. Ichigo stopped laughing as soon as she did and gave her a sad look.

Unexpectedly, Rukia returned the look and said, "It's better this way." She turned her gaze to the unconscious punks. "This is why I didn't want to show them."

She returned her gaze to Ichigo. "_This _is what I have to contend with. Even the people, who 'like' my…fluffy parts, try to do this sort of thing. And it's not only me, other Nekojin have been victimized as well. It's hard…knowing that others don't think of us as 'people'."

She let out a deep sigh. "So please…let's not draw any more attention to my heritage today, okay?" The sadness oozing from her voice was maddening. Ichigo never wanted to hear that tone in her voice ever again. She deserved better.

"Fine," he replied immediately, "But don't think that all people are like these scumbags." Rukia turned to him, perplexed. "Don't let a few people ruin your life before you even have the chance to live it. You've only just now discovered real music. There are so many things for you to see and feel and experience and I won't let anyone get in the way of that. You've suffered enough." He gave her that warm, sunlit smile that he rarely let out. "Remember, you're not alone. Let me take some of the burden. I'm here for you."

Rukia glanced down and smiled; typical Ichigo. He must not have been kidding when he said his name means, "The One Who Protects". Maybe he was right. Maybe things would finally begin to work themselves out. Maybe…just maybe…it wasn't too late for her to have a real life. Maybe…as long as he was there to help her…she could finally overcome her fear of being different and learn to enjoy her life. What a strange power this young man had over her…

She slowly walked up to him and elbowed him in the side. Ichigo doubled-over, grabbing his kidneys. He struggled to look at Rukia, who had a sickly sweet smile plastered on her face. "Could you get any more cheesy, Dandelion? Where's your usual fire? It's no fun if you don't fight back." Her overly sweet smile transformed into a wide grin, her teeth shining at him, and her face as peaceful as a cloudless day.

Ichigo let his head fall and a smile appeared on his lips. "Shut up, Midget."

He was thankful that she was back to her usual self. A depressed Rukia made a depressed Ichigo and he couldn't have that. They alerted mall security and the thugs were arrested. Afterwards, they had to go back to the ramen stand to have them heat up their very cold meals. The guy gave Rukia a glare but she glared right back, scaring the living crap out of him. He'd seen what the thugs tried to do to her and did nothing to help her. Then he cowered in fear when she destroyed their hopes for having children. Her wrath was to be feared.

Ichigo and Rukia ate their ramen quickly and headed for home.

* * *

><p>When they got back to Rukia's dorm, she stopped Ichigo before he headed home.<p>

"Hey, Dandelion! I wanna see your apartment!" she demanded.

Ichigo gave her a confused look. "Why? It's not all that special."

Rukia sighed. "In case your flowery head doesn't retain memories that well…I'll spell it out for you. You came barging into my room last time and it's only fair that you invite me to see yours."

"Technically, you did invite me in…" Ichigo replied grinning at her.

"Irrelevant," she countered, "If you don't invite me over soon, I'll just have to pay you a surprise visit." The menacing smirk on her face petrified Ichigo. The thought of her breaking into his apartment was a major threat. Rukia always kept her word…always! Just thinking about waking up to her standing over him sent chills down his spine. And not in a good way!

"Alright, fine. But let's wait a bit. Classes start again tomorrow and I'd like to not have to worry about you breaking and entering my place of solitude." He really hoped she'd go for it. His place was a mess and he would need to do an overhaul before she came to visit.

Rukia gave an exaggerated sigh. "If you're sooo worried about it, I guess I can wait. It's probably a mess right now anyway." She hopped up the last few steps and called back, "You're still walking to class with me right?" She was a bit nervous he'd say 'no' but…

"Nine-thirty. On the dot!" Ichigo called back. The nervousness faded from her and was replaced with utter joy.

They each turned to head back to their own place of safety and peace, neither knowing about the all consuming smile that appeared on both their faces.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Ichigo may have saved her but damn can Rukia fight! It hurt me just writing it! Well not really…that bastard had it coming!

Anyway, please Review. Thanks and see you next time.


	8. Mutual Feelings

We're The Same

Chapter 7: Mutual Feelings

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author's Note: A special thanks to my beta reader - vi0letbutterfly – and to all of you who reviewed my work. I couldn't do it without you!

* * *

><p>Ichigo was late. Really late. As in: the instructor is going to think you were mugged and left for dead: late. Not only did he oversleep, he overslept by two hours! By the time he woke up it was already 9:45 AM. Worst of all, he was late to see Rukia!<p>

He hustled down the street as fast as he could. He skipped a shower and just sprayed himself with deodorant, hoping it was enough. There was no way that Rukia was still waiting for him. It was 9:55 and class started in ten minutes. Surely she'd gone to class without him by now…or so he hoped, yet at the same time didn't. Since it took ten minutes to get to class from her dorm she must have gone on ahead. He rushed toward his class and was about to pass Rukia's dorm when he heard a familiar voice.

"What the hell kept you!" Ichigo turned his head to see Rukia dashing toward him at break-neck speed. Damn her Neko reflexes! Apparently, she _had_ waited for him because she appeared from outside the front doors of the dorm. Great, just great! Thanks to his oversleeping, he was not only running to class, but trying to escape the wrath of his pissed and overly violent friend. And he showed no signs of slowing his pace.

"Wait up, you jerk!" she called after him, picking up speed herself. Ichigo knew better than to wait. An angry Rukia meant a battered and bruised Ichigo!

"If I slow down you'll just kick me and leave me behind." The funny thing was…it wasn't really a joke. Rukia began to rapidly approach him, fury powering her footsteps. Ichigo made a mental note…she's faster than he is!

"You're damn right I'm gonna kick you! Thanks to you we're gonna be late!"

"It's not my fault my alarm didn't no off!"

"I'm rejecting all your excuses and placing all blame on you! Now, take your beating like a man, you late blooming Dandelion!"

Ichigo let out a rather girly scream and ran for dear life. Soon they reached their building but the chase didn't end. Ichigo ripped open the door with Rukia nipping at his heels. They charged up the stairs and made it to the outside of their classroom with only seconds to spare. Ichigo skid to a halt and reached for the door. Rukia narrowed her eyes and charged him. She jumped and planted her foot firmly in his face, knocking him nearly ten feet back.

Ichigo tumbled to the floor and his world was spinning, not only from the kick but the run as well. Kind of embarrassing to be chased by a girl half your size but then again, it was Rukia! Damn, could that crazy Neko run! Meanwhile, Rukia landed gracefully and took deep breaths. It was lucky she was wearing her beanie because her hood had flown off when the epic chase began.

"That'll teach you be late…" she huffed as he slowly picked himself back up, his head still spinning.

"Come on, we just made it." She pulled open the door and waited for him. Ichigo felt it was kind of messed up for her to wait for him after bashing his face in but then again…he was the late one. Ichigo got up rubbing his jaw and headed for the class. As he neared Rukia she flashed him a menacing grin. He had a feeling his punishment was not over.

As they headed into class, they were completely unaware of the eyes that had watched the whole scene unfold.

* * *

><p>Prof. Kyoraku gave them an oddly friendly smile as they entered his class. He had heard the scuffle outside his door but figured it would work itself out. He was actually relieved when it was those two who walked through the door and not a pair of rambunctious delinquents covered in each other's blood.<p>

They awkwardly took their seats and class began. Prof. Kyoraku gave his lecture and the class, for the most part, listened. Ichigo had actually grown fond of the guy's teaching style. Unlike other instructors, Kyoraku would actually talk to the class and engage them in conversation instead of just blabbing on about things that no one could possibly care about. This alone was enough for Ichigo to respect the man. Not to mention that the teacher was fair about tests and homework, not giving too much or too little.

Rukia had thought the same. He always seemed nice in passing but then again, this teacher was new and didn't know about her heritage. She wondered if he would treat her like some of her other instructors if he knew. One of the other instructors in particular seemed to have a vendetta against her and she'd never even taken one of his classes before! The thought made her shudder and pull her beanie down tighter. She was lucky Ichigo didn't seem to notice. He could be so nosy and this was something she needed to work out on her own.

When class ended and everyone was leaving, Kyoraku called out to them. "Mr. Kurosaki. Can I talk to you for a second?"

Ichigo was confused. As far as he knew, there wasn't anything he'd done wrong. He turned to Rukia. "Go ahead. I'll catch up." Rukia nodded and headed out the door. After she was gone Ichigo went up to his instructor's desk.

"Is there something you need Professor?" Ichigo didn't want this to take too long. Who knew if one of those bastards might try to mess with Rukia while he wasn't around? Rukia had reluctantly told him about the bullying she'd suffered in the past and it was no surprised that Ichigo was eager to put a stop to it.

The older man smiled at his student. "It's nothing that major, Ichigo. May I call you, Ichigo?" he continued before Ichigo had time to respond. "I just wanted to ask you a quick question…" He paused, as if he was wondering if someone was eavesdropping. "I'll be frank. Has someone been bullying Ms. Kuchiki?"

Ichigo eyes went wide at the question. "I take it by your expression that I'm right." The instructor continued. "I had a feeling that was the case. More than once I've seen her running from place to place like a scared little kitten. She practically avoids all human contact as much as possible."

Ichigo stayed quiet, not sure if it was a good idea to confirm or deny the man's suspicions. Was it really that obvious to other people? Ichigo had barely noticed at all until he'd seen it for himself. How could he miss something like that? True, he didn't have _all_ his classes with her but still…

"I only ask because you two seem pretty close." Kyoraku pressed. "I want you to know that I don't have any tolerance for bullying, especially if it's one of my students. Besides that, I've been witness to some of your exploits. I saw you threatening that kid who knocked her down the other day." Ichigo remembered that. It was the first day of class. Ichigo had assumed that since Kyoraku had left first he'd not seen it but it seems he was wrong.

Kyoraku smiled and continued. "Mainly what I wanted to say was…keep it up. She's a nice girl and bright one too. I hate to see that sort of thing happen to nice kid like her. If you have any problems with bullying, I want you to let me know ASAP. I'll make sure it's dealt with."

Ichigo was pleasantly surprised to hear that. That's how a teacher should react to bullying. It had concerned him that so many instructors turned a blind eye to Rukia suffering but not this guy. Ichigo decided to take a chance with him. Another set of eyes to look out for Rukia was most welcome.

"If there are any more problems I'll be sure to do that but I'm pretty sure I can handle it." Ichigo assured the overly relaxed instructor.

Kyoraku smirked at the kid's smug look and glanced out the window of the classroom door. "Don't be so sure. Not all the bullies here are students, ya know. I'm afraid there are some offenders that even you won't be able to deal with. For example…"

Ichigo followed his instructors gaze and looked out the door window. Outside, a tall man with straight, brown hair and square framed glasses was speaking to Rukia. Despite the calm smile on the man's face, Rukia looked absolutely terrified. Ichigo felt his blood boil. Kyoraku noticed and grinned at Ichigo.

"Guess we better go see what's up," The instructor said heading for the door. "This is one bully that you can't just go smacking around, kid." Ichigo then noticed the mischievous grin on his instructor's face, "Luckily, I can."

* * *

><p>Rukia patiently waited outside the door for Ichigo. She knew she didn't need to but she wanted too. She wasn't afraid to go to the next class alone. No. It's just that there was nothing there that really motivated her to get going. It was math, her least favorite subject after all. At least if she waited for Ichigo she could satisfy her curiosity as to why the instructor had him stay longer. For some reason, the thought of Ichigo getting in trouble brought a small smile to her lips.<p>

That's when her world shattered as she heard _his _voice, interrupting her thoughts.

"Rukia Kuchiki."

Rukia froze. She knew that voice and it never meant anything but hardship. She slowly turned to see Sosuke Aizen smiling down at her. She hated that smile because behind it was a man with nothing but cruel intentions and an eternal hatred for anyone or anything different.

"It seems you have neglected my very generous warning." Aizen's deceptive smile widened and Rukia bit her lip. "I told you before that I would not be able to stay my hand if you caused another incident." Aizen had been the one to convince the faculty that the fight Rukia had been involved in last semester was entirely her fault, conveniently leaving out the fact that _she_ was the one who had been harassed.

"I don't quite understand Prof. Aizen. What exactly is it that I did?" Rukia knew he didn't need much an excuse to get her expelled. The man seemed fixated on it ever since she'd gotten off so lightly for the fight she supposedly caused last semester. It's like the man lived and breathed to make sure that she was thrown off this campus. He was fully aware of her Nekojin heritage and had an intense and illogical hatred for it as well.

"Now, now. Don't act so innocent, Ms. Kuchiki. I witnessed a rather disturbing display this morning." Rukia eyes widened and she balled her hands into fists as he continued. "From where I was standing, you were harassing that poor young man with the bleached hair right before class. I even witnessed you attacking him. I believe you kicked him right in the head…"

"That was…" Rukia tried to interject.

"I'm afraid that excuses will no longer be tolerated, Ms. Kuchiki." The evil man's kind smile never faded. He was no doubt enjoying her pain, immensely. "I'm afraid I will need to report this to Dean Yamamoto. I can't allow such violent behavior to continue any longer. Who knows how many other people have been victimized by your outbursts? It is my duty as an instructor and role model to deal with such…problems." By problems, he meant Rukia and all of her kind.

Rukia was terrified. If he brought this matter to the Dean of the University, there would be no way to stop her expulsion from the school. Not this time. Why was this happening to her? All she did was have a little fun with Ichigo. It's not like she really hurt him but she knew Aizen didn't care. He never had. All he cared about was finding a way to get her thrown out as soon as he could.

Ever since he'd discovered that she was Nekojin, he'd turned a blind eye to any suffering the students caused her. Hell, he probably encouraged it! The guy was as hateful as you can get. Compared to him, the other students were saints! And now she was getting expelled…Her brother would never forgive her after he spent so much time and money to get her into this school.

"Well, Mr. Aizen…"

Rukia gasped and turned to see Prof. Kyoraku with Ichigo in tow. Oh no! Now Ichigo would find out about her expulsion! And she knew he'd blame himself for what happened! Could this get any worse!

"Good morning, Mr. Kyoraku." Aizen returned the greeting. "To what do I own this pleasure?" Even with all the formal speech between them, it was obvious the distain they held for each other.

"Well, I saw you talking to my student and wondered if something was the matter. _Is_ something the matter?" Kyoraku held his smile, not letting a hint of anger show.

"Why yes, in fact there is. I was just about to report my findings to Mr. Yamamoto about Rukia's violent outburst this morning." Aizen also knew how to hold his smile. Ichigo was about to throttle this asshole when Kyoraku spoke up.

"Oh, I see. That's rather unfortunate. What exactly happened if I may ask?" Kyoraku shot Ichigo a look that clearly said, 'stay out of this'. Ichigo looked to a panicked Rukia and nodded to him. Jumping in now would only hurt her more.

Aizen adjusted his glasses and answered, "I happened to witness Ms. Kuchiki attack a student this morning, right outside your classroom I might add. I thought it best not to disturb you with this until your class had ended. I didn't want to interrupt your lecture after all."

"That's very kind of you. I guess it is kind of a serious affair then, isn't it?" Kyoraku was making both Rukia and Ichigo nervous. Was he trying to help or hinder them? Ichigo in particular was coming unglued.

"Yes. I can only imagine the trauma that young man must be going through right now. It's a shame I didn't get a look at his face. We'll need to find him to verify the story." Aizen's tender smile was sickening. He obviously figured that whoever it was that Rukia kicked would gladly agree with him just to make her suffer and if it had been anyone else, he'd have been right.

Unfortunately for Aizen, he didn't know anything about Ichigo. "Well, I think I can solve that problem right here." Kyoraku informed his fellow teacher, much to the latter's surprise. "Ichigo, care to tell the man what happened?" Ichigo had to fight off a smirk. Kyoraku was pretty smooth after all.

Ichigo stepped up to Aizen and looked him in the eyes. "I was the she 'violently attacked' this morning."

"Ah, so you admit it."

Rukia stared at Ichigo with utter terror in her eyes. Then, she stopped. Ichigo had that look in his eyes, a look that said, 'everything's going to be fine'. Like when she'd tried to cut ties with him, he'd given her that same look. Rukia had put her faith in that look before and she knew she had to do it again.

Meanwhile, Ichigo was infuriated by the look of horror on her face. It made him want to break this asshole's glasses over his head, accompanied by a swift kick to the face! Anyone who made her have that depressed and hopeless look deserved to be set on fire twice and then have it beaten out with a spiked club! It was time to put this pretentious bastard in his place!

"Sure, I admit it. And I don't blame her! In fact, I got off lightly!" Aizen was visibly shocked by his words as he continued. "It was my fault for making her late for class this morning. To be honest, it wasn't really that big a deal. I've taken harder kicks from guys twice her size. I don't see any problem with her."

Aizen did his best to recover. "You're not going to press charges?" His voice almost carried a threat but Ichigo pushed it away.

"Why would I? Rukia's my friend. Friends beat on each other all the time. Honesty, it's a pretty normal thing for us." Ichigo smirked at the previously smug teacher. Aizen couldn't believe what he was hearing. A student…friends with this little Neko-bitch…it was absurd! His perfect chance to get rid of the Nekojin was slipping through his fingers!

"Regardless of your feelings on the matter, fighting is a grave offense in this institution. I'm afraid I will still need to report it to Dean Yamamoto." Aizen would not give up without a fight. He had to deal with this little bitch before other people caught wind of her mistreatment. He could name a few that would speak in her defense and he would not tolerate that.

Kyoraku stepped up and said, "If the boy doesn't have a problem with Rukia's behavior, then I don't see any need for any further punishment. I'll talk to Old Man Yama myself later." Aizen gave him an odd look for addressing the Dean of the University so informally. "I actually used to be a student here myself back in the day. Old man Yama was my teacher back then. I'm sure he'll understand if I explain it all to him." Kyoraku gave a quick chuckle. Yamamoto was sure to take his word over Aizen's any day. It was his trump card and one he rarely ever pulled out but right now he'd do all he could to keep Aizen away from his student.

Even if he wasn't showing it, Aizen was furious. How dare this little bleached punk and even a fellow instructor come to this Neko-bitch's aid? Especially when he was so close to being rid of her. However, Aizen only continued to smile and said, "I suppose that will be satisfactory. If you'll excuse me."

He excused himself and walked away, his anger seething. It didn't matter that she had a new friend or that Kyoraku was fond of her. Sooner or later he would find a way to deal with the crafty little cat girl.

* * *

><p>Rukia could hardly believe what had transpired. Could that really have just happened? To be so close to oblivion but abruptly pulled back; she felt like she had jet lag. All she could do was stare blankly ahead while her saviors tried to get her attention.<p>

Ichigo was getting worried since she didn't respond to him. It's not like he could hit her like she hit him…could he? No! That would result in untold amounts of pain for his poor shins or worse!

"She appears to be in some kind of shock," Kyoraku informed the panicking dandelion. "I think I have an idea." He walked right in front of Rukia and clapped his hands in her face. Rukia shuddered and was brought back to reality. She turned to look from Ichigo to her teacher.

"What? What just happened?" Rukia continued to search for answers.

"Well, Ms. Kuchiki, may I call you Rukia," again he did not wait for an answer, "Your friend Ichigo, here, just stood up for you in front of a very powerful, and might I say, disgustingly disturbing man. Honestly, the kid's got guts." Kyoraku gave a hearty laugh as Rukia absorbed the information.

Rukia glared at Ichigo. So it wasn't a dream after all. Rukia narrowed her eyes at her orange haired friend. Ichigo shuddered under her glare. "You idiot!" she shouted at him, taking him completely by surprise. "Do you _want _to get expelled! What's the matter with you!"

Despite Rukia returning to her usual self, Ichigo didn't like her lack of gratitude. "Me? What did I do! All I did was tell the truth and clear up any suspicion…"

"That's the point! You don't know what you've gotten yourself into! Idiot!"

"I think I understand perfectly what I've gotten involved in, thank you very much!"

They continued to butt heads while Kyoraku looked on in amusement. It was obvious how much they cared for each other, even when they were arguing so fervently. "Now, now, settle down you two. Don't you two have a class to be getting to?" he said amidst the flurry of words.

The pair suddenly stopped and looked to their instructor, having forgotten he was there up until now. They were truly in their own little world when they argued. They checked their phones and realized that they were already ten minutes late. Damn Aizen and his incessant meddling!

They scrambled away and Kyoraku wished them a good day. As they grew smaller in the distance, the middle aged instructor felt more at peace than he had in years. Somehow, he knew they'd be alright. And if not…he'd step in to deal with any problems that came their way.

* * *

><p>"I still think you should have stayed out of it." Rukia pouted after as they lay beside each other on the grassy hill of the secret runaway spot. It was only now that Ichigo realized why Rukia had initially called it that.<p>

Ichigo scowled. "I still think you should pay for your own meals but you don't see me complaining about it".

"Isn't that what you're doing right now?"

"I'm drawing a comparison. It doesn't count as complaining."

They discovered that Ms. Soi Fon doesn't have any tolerance for lateness because when they arrived ten minutes late for College Algebra, they found that both doors were locked and interrupting was a death sentence. They supposed that not all instructors could be like Prof. Kyoraku, unfortunately.

"Do you think he knows?" Rukia asked out of the blue. Ichigo looked to her puzzled.

"Does who know what?"

"Prof. Kyoraku…do you think he knows…?" she fingered her beanie as she spoke. Ichigo was quick to pick up on it.

"Probably not but I don't think it would matter if he did." He tried to reassure her but she pulled her beanie down tighter. "Any teacher who jumps to their student's defense so readily probably wouldn't care what race they were. At least that's the impression I got."

Rukia tried to smile but ended up only closing her eyes, trying to enjoy the sun. "That naiveté of yours will get you killed someday," she whispered. Ichigo frowned as he looked to his depressed friend. After that business with that bastard Aizen, she had been acting weird all day. Even their usual fights lacked the amusement they usually derived from the pleasure of bodily harm.

It wasn't that Ichigo didn't understand, he just thought that dwelling on it would only make it that much worse. After all; she didn't get expelled, the bastard ran with his tail between his legs and Ichigo had discovered the magic of relying on an instructor to verbally beat the crap out of people that his fists could not reach.

More than anything, he just wanted to see Rukia smile. It was becoming an addition. She rarely smiled but when she did it was like pure happiness erupting form the pit of her soul and he lapped it up. He'd do anything to bring out that smile—anything.

"Rukia," he asked, "Why don't you take off your beanie?" Rukia's eyes snapped open and she shifted her gaze to him confusion in her eyes. "It's not like anyone's gonna bother us here. Don't you think it's better to give 'em some air once in a while?" He grinned at her but she was less than amused.

"Are you only my friend because I have these freaky ears!" Her tone surprised even herself but she wouldn't deny that it was a fear she had. "Ever since I let you touch them once you've been obsessed with getting at them again! Are my ears all I am to you!"

Ichigo was taken aback by her sudden anger. He felt incredibly hurt and understanding all at the same time. While he couldn't deny that he loved the feeling of petting her ears, he also knew that it went beyond that. He couldn't hide the look of pain on his face and Rukia couldn't stand that she was the cause of it.

She sat up to leave but he caught her arm. She nervously looked back to him. He had that pained look on his face but it was accompanied by sympathy. "No one punches me like you do." That sounded a lot better in his head so he continued, "Your fluffy ears have nothing to do with my decision to be your friend. Sure, I admit, I love to scratch them but it's only because I've never had the chance to do that before. I've never owned a cat before and having a friend with fluffy ears is pretty awesome so…"

"Do you have a point?" Rukia questioned, tired of his rambling. He took a deep breath to help get back on track.

"If I didn't have you there to kick my ass every time I got out of line, life would get real boring, real fast. I've never had a best friend before but I'd say you're beginning to make me realize what it's like to have one.

"I'm sorry I got a little too obsessed with your ears. I get carried away with fluffy stuff and that's my bad. Really, all I want is for you to be comfortable with who you are. I'm tired of you hiding that part of you because so many people have ruined it for you." He paused to take a breath. "I just thought that…if it was only the two of us…maybe you'd let yourself go and just be you for awhile. That's all I meant."

Rukia had never seen such honesty in someone's eyes before. Each word that hit her beanie covered ears made them burn with happiness. He just wanted her to be herself with him. Rukia could only stare at his expression, a mixture of sadness and understanding. And it was all because she wasn't completely comfortable around him. She told herself she was but hiding her ears even when they were alone showed a lack of confidence.

She'd been so stupid about this whole thing. Damn Aizen for continuing to ruin her day despite his failure that morning. She let that bastard's attitude affect her judgment and it had hurt Ichigo. That, more than anything, was intolerable.

Rukia smiled at him and warmth filled the both of them. Ichigo smiled back at her, proud and overjoyed at the same time.

"I-I'm really…you're best friend?" She didn't mean to sound so nervous but that came with the moment. For some reason it was all she could focus on. He'd informed her that she was the number one friend in his life. Yeah, she knew she was his only friend here but still!

"You do make an impression on people…or in them!" he joked, still smiling. She pulled her arm from his grasp and smacked his gut. He grunted and sucked in a mouthful of air. Next thing he knew, her beanie landed on his face and he felt her head on his stomach. He pushed away the head accessory and grinned at his friend, feline ears twitching, resting her weary head on his soft abdomen.

"Shut up, Dandelion." She said yawning. "Your interrupting my cat nap." For the first time, she took pleasure in calling it that, pun included. Ichigo scoffed but kept smiling. As she closed her eyes and let the warm rays of the sun envelop her, she whispered, "Thanks for being my best friend, Dandelion"

Ichigo laid his head back and replied, "Feeling's mutual, Midget."

That day they enjoyed the best cat nap they had ever experienced.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Lounging in the sun with a friend is the greatest experience ever. Try it and tell me how it went (I have yet to do it).

Thanks again, please Review.


	9. Sketches

We're The Same

Chapter 8: Sketches

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>As Rukia headed for her business class, she couldn't help but contemplate how great the past few weeks had gone. She and Ichigo attended class, at lunch together and even hung out on the weekends when they weren't busy. Both of them had no interest in the constant stream of parties they often heard about. Then again, no one ever invited Rukia because of her heritage and Ichigo by association. Not that they cared, it was much more fun to just hang out and beat on each other until they found the subtle humor in it.<p>

Rukia passed by the art building on her way to her business class everyday but she hadn't really looked at it until recently. Ever since Ichigo made that comment after they'd first met, she couldn't stop thinking about it…

"_Is there anything else you like to do?"_

"_I like to draw…I guess."_

She had never really thought about taking a drawing class before. In her opinion, she was pretty good already. It wasn't anything she was overly proud of but it took her mind off things. It particularly helped on days when she was tormented by the other students last semester. Now, every time she passed by she found herself thinking about it. What would it be like to learn actual methods of artistic sketching?

Suddenly, her beanie was pulled off her head, exposing her fluffy parts. She whirled about to see Takeshi holding her beanie. He and his gang laughed at the expression of anger on her face.

"Well, if it isn't the Neko-bitch," Takeshi insulted waving her beanie above her. Damn, his height. While not as tall as Ichigo he was still freakishly taller than her, through no fault of her own. "The bleached boy isn't around to rescue you this time!" he said waving it right in her face.

Rukia's ears stiffened in response to her rage and shot her hand out at her beanie. Takeshi took the opportunity to toss it to his equally tall friends. Rukia rushed to him and grabbed at her head wear but he flung it to another. Each time Rukia got close to her beanie it was thrown far above her head and caught by another offender. Serious, it was like bullies tormenting smaller kids on the playground!

"What's wrong Neko-bitch? Can't get your little hat?" they laughed as she jumped exceptionally high trying to get it.

They tossed it again but this time Rukia was too quick. She jumped and was able to grab it before another perpetrator got it. As she landed she heard a terrifying crack. Rukia slowly looked down to see her foot crushing her new CD player, her Joe Inoue CD still inside. Her eyes widened and she fell to her knees and began picking up the pieces. It must have fallen out of her coat pocket when she'd jumped.

They began to laugh as she tenderly picked up the pieces of her shattered player. They had crushed her new form of happiness and they didn't even care. She was covered in dirt, late for class and now they'd destroyed her first gift from her first friend. Rukia glared at Takeshi.

"What?" he said innocently, "It's not my fault you freaked out so much that you crushed your stupid little player."

Rukia's anger flared and she clenched her fists. A Nekojin could only take so much. "It was a gift you asshole!" she hissed as she collected the remains of her player.

"So what? Just have you're freaky bleached bitch of a friend buy you another one." Takeshi scoffed as he and his gang turned away. "He's even more of freak than you are. He probably just hangs with you just to satisfy his furry fetish. That guy's a total nut-job." They laughed loudly until they were abruptly cut off.

"You shut your God-damned mouth!"

They're laugher died down as they turned to see an infinitely pissed off Rukia glaring at them. At first they thought it was kind of amusing to see her so pissed but when they nervously tried to resume their laughter, she hissed. She literally hissed at them, like a pissed off cat that was ready to claw your eyes out. They all took an instinctive step back.

"You can make fun of me all you want…" the rage that coursed through Rukia could not be contained. "But don't you _dare_ talk about Ichigo like that! He's ten times the men that you are, cowards!"

She took an aggressive step forward, making them all take another step back. "I don't care what you do to me! But you will _not _insult him in front of me ever again! So help me God, if you so much as utter another word…" she raised her small but intimidating fist and cracked her knuckles. The image was even more horrifying because of the fact that her ears were flattening down on her head, as if she was about to pounce. Just as she was about to do something that she knew she'd get expelled for, a new voice shouted…

"What's going on here!"

Rukia and Takeshi's gang turned to see middle aged man with long white hair streaming down his back. He was dressed in a business suit and looked to be an instructor. Takeshi instantly grinned before putting on a look so pitiable that even God might have been fooled.

"This crazy bitch is trying to kill us!" he shouted pointing at Rukia. Rukia gasped and stared blankly at Takeshi. She always knew he was bastard but this was new low! "She's a crazy Neko-bitch that been terrorizing us lately. Please, you gotta help us!"

Rukia could hardly believe what she was happening. All her fire and anger was fading in the presence of the long haired instructor and it was quickly being replaced by fear. If Aizen caught wind of this she'd be out of here by tomorrow. What should she do? Should she apologize? Why the hell should _she_ apologize! Then again, would that even help in this situation? Of course not, no one ever sided with her. An apology would only be demeaning at this point.

Rukia's world was, once again, crashing in around her. How was she going to explain this to her brother? To Ichigo? He'd be devastated…or so she kind of hoped, despite how awkward an idea that was. All she knew was that life finally had a meaning and it was about to be taken away.

The long, white haired teacher had a grim look on his face as he approached Rukia. As he towered over her she looked up at him with a stern look. She couldn't show fear, no matter how much she wanted to. The man looked right into her eyes and held her gaze. Then, he smiled. Rukia was shocked by his sudden change of attitude. He was smiling at her almost the same way that Ichigo smiled at her, although Ichigo's felt like it was radiating sunlight while this one was just comforting.

The instructor abruptly turned back to the boys and glared at them. "Young man," he said getting Takeshi's attention, "I do not appreciate your attitude or your racist comment."

Takeshi stared wide-eyed at the man. "B-But she…"

"…Is clearly the victim here." The teacher interrupted.

"But how can you…" Takeshi began before he was cut off again.

"I find it rather odd that a group of five men would actually be so frightened of this young lady." The white haired man's voice was soft but firm. "Especially considering the fact that she is the one covered in dirt, while the rest of you appear to be strangely clean."

The miscreants began to back away from this man very slowly. "Furthermore," the instructor indicated her shattered CD player, "It seems that you were responsible for the destruction of her property as well. By my observation, if anyone is at fault here, it would be you."

"But…but that wasn't…"

"That is quite enough." The instructor wasn't finished yet. "Since I do not know any of you personally, I will graciously let you off with a warning this time. Next time I find you mistreating this young Nekojin I will make sure to report it to your individual advisors. You may go." They continued to stand there, trying to process how they were the ones in trouble. "You may go." The instructor repeated, harsher this time.

They quickly walked away, angrily whispering amongst themselves. The white haired instructor turned back to Rukia and smiled. Rukia was stunned. She knew her ears were on display for the whole world to gape at, so why was he being so nice? It would have been easy to just agree with the perpetrators and inform the faculty of the situation but he had stepped in and resolved the situation. Why?

"It seems I jumped in at the wrong time," he joked, causing her to blink at him. "I probably should have just let you tear them apart. They seemed to have quite a grudge against you; it might have done them some good for you to bear your fangs at them. In a manner of speaking." He chuckled at his own joke as Rukia slowly digested the information.

If he hadn't come when he did, she probably _would_ have torn them to little pieces and been expelled for it. If anything, he'd saved her. This was the third person to come to her rescue in the last few weeks; that had to be record. Rukia said the only thing that came to her mind.

"Thank you, sir."

The man chuckled again, "It's quite alright. The fact is...I see a lot of this sort of thing on campus. Nekojin are, unfortunately, not as well treated here as they should be." Rukia looked to him in surprise. "I've grown tired of doing nothing about it just because most of the faculty seems to ignore it. So when I saw you getting ready to pounce, I figured you had good reason but thought I might be needed to help…resolve the situation."

Rukia thought she was mistaken. Did he actually say he was on the lookout for human students mistreating Nekojin? Did he _want_ to lose his job? What happened between this semester and last? Did all the philanthropists move into town or was she just insanely lucky?

"Besides, this isn't the first time I've seen you pass by my building." The instructor informed her, still smiling pleasantly.

"What?" Rukia was sure she'd never seen this man before and what did he mean _his_ building?

"My apologizes, I never introduced myself did I? My name is Jushiro Ukitake." He spoke with such refined words and elegant manners that it reminded Rukia of her brother. "And what might your name be?"

Rukia was caught off guard, her voice momentarily stuck in her throat. "R-Rukia Kuchiki." She finally choked out. Ukitake's face lit up.

"Ah, I've heard of you. You're a friend of Ms. Yoruichi, aren't you?"

Once again, Yoruichi had to interfere with other people's lives. "Well, she's the director of my dorm. I wouldn't really call her a friend…"

Ukitake rubbed his chin. "Strange. She mentioned that you two were on friendlier terms the last time I spoke with her." Rukia had to keep from face-palming. Talking to her in the hall didn't make her a best friend or anything. Besides, she had Ichigo for that. The thought of calling him her best friend brought a smile to her lips. God it felt good to have a friend!

"Either way," he said interrupting her thoughts. "It's nice to finally meet you, Rukia."

Rukia bowed to him. "The pleasure is all mine." She had been taught to respond like that years ago but this was the first time she'd actually meant it. As she lifted her head, Rukia noticed the logo on Ukitake's sleeve. It was a design the art majors often wore.

"You must be an artistic instructor," Rukia said indicating his coat.

"Yes, in fact, I'm the new Director of this department." Ukitake took out a business card and handed it to Rukia, who was instantly impressed by the shiny lettering and very professional signature on the card. "I've heard from Yoruichi that you like to draw. Is that right?" He continued while she inspected the card.

Rukia hung her head. Leave it to Yoruichi to tell the whole world of her guilty pleasure. "I just doodle. Nothing that great." Her response was quick and hoped it would end there. However, she underestimated Ukitake's curiosity.

"Really?" He sounded incredibly excited, "When you have the time, I'd love to see some samples of your work."

Rukia's eyes shot open and she stared at him, her mouth gaping. He was lying. He had to be. How could he possibly be interested in her goofy little Chappy the Rabbit doodles! Sure, she had her own variations but it was still all cutesy and filled with crayon coloring! She had them going on picnics and playing sports...Hell, there were even some of her little rabbit like characters sword fighting with flowers! How in the hell was she supposed to bring them in to the Director of the Artistic Department! She hadn't even shown them to Ichigo! She knew he'd just laugh at them and make fun of them and if she had her way, he'd never see them.

"Um, I'm not really sure if…" Rukia fumbled for words.

Ukitake sensed her hesitation and said, "It's only a suggestion. I have no desire to hold you to it. I just wanted to see what your artistic style was. I didn't mean to upset you."

Rukia waved her hands, "No, no, that's not really the problem. I just…" She couldn't tell him she was just embarrassed. Ukitake continued to smile at her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, the offer's always there if you wish to take it." The calm smile on his face made Rukia smile as well. "I'm afraid I need to get going, I have an important meeting to get to." Rukia was saddened that he had to go. It was great to have someone take an interest in her drawings, other than Ichigo, who had never seen them. "It was wonderful to meet you, Rukia. Keep up the good work." He patted her shoulder and walked away, waving as he left.

Rukia waved back, a bright smile on her face. She replaced her beanie and was on her way. Since Rukia was already over thirty minutes late for her business class, she decided to just head back to her dorm. When she arrived, she tore off her stuffy clothes and changed into her comfortable ones, her fluffy parts finally getting some air. She took her sketch pad out from its hiding place under her bed and began to doodle, her ears and tail bouncing the entire time.

* * *

><p>"Why is the bunny fighting Santa with a flower?"<p>

Rukia glared at Ichigo who was inspecting one of her drawings. "It's not Santa! It's a evil, bloody monster and their killing it with the power of love!" She shouted as they lay on the grassy hill of the secret runaway spot, enjoying the fresh air and taking in Rukia's work.

Rukia had decided to show some her artwork to Ichigo. She felt guilty not showing it to him earlier, especially since he was the first one to ask about it. Then again, his reaction was just as she thought it would be. The moment he laid eyes on her little bunnies he'd burst into uncontrollable laughter, to which she promptly cracked him upside the head with her foot. After that, he began to genuinely inspect each and every one of her cutesy drawings. In truth, he found them all incredibly cute; a bit hard on the eyes….but cute! He had reluctantly told her that her drawing weren't all that bad, thoroughly boosting her confidence.

Rukia was glad she'd met Ukitake. If she hadn't, she might not have had the courage to actually show Ichigo her drawings. She had told Ichigo about her run in with Takeshi and his gang, leaving out the part about her CD player getting busted. Though he tried to keep it to himself, she noticed that he didn't have a lot of money and figured he might spend any remaining cash on a new one if he found out. Ichigo just seemed like that type of guy.

She could have paid for new one herself but she was nervous about revisiting the mall. The memory of those perverts always crept into her mind whenever she thought about it. Besides, she had a lot of school work to do anyway, even if she missed the hypnotic tones of Joe Inoue's voice.

"The power of love? Why not tickle it to death while they're at it? And I still think it looks like Santa. You're sending mixed messages here. It's making my eyes hurt…" Rukia smacked his stomach.

She smirked at him, "Do your eyes hurt now?"

"It's a pain that will never fade." He retorted, sucking in air. The malicious grin on Rukia's face widened.

"Then I guess I'll just have to try harder!" she smacked him in the face and the stomach at the same time. Ichigo bolted upright holding his injuries with great care.

"What the hell, Rukia! It's not like I said anything that bad! I was just being honest with you!" He shouted while trying to suppress his animosity.

Rukia huffed and turned away. "You said it yourself, 'They aren't that bad'. Or did you forget! Don't give me false hope if all your gonna do is make fun of them later!" Her ears twitched and Ichigo knew she was enjoying herself.

She had been getting accustomed to letting her ears be in plain view recently but only when it was just them. Although, she still refused to let her tail out, it was really a pain to get it into her pants in the first place and she didn't want to mess with it more than she had too. It was delicate, after all.

"So, are you gonna take them to him?" Ichigo asked, regaining his posture. Rukia got eerily quiet. It's not like she didn't want to but with the way Ichigo had reacted. "I think you should." He surprisingly encouraged her. "Even if they're weird, cutesy, over the top bunnies with poor battle strategies, I'm sure he'd find them interesting."

Before Rukia could throw her shoe at him, he tossed back her sketchbook and grinned at her. It was really hard to get angry at him when he was being so nice to her. Well, maybe not _so _nice but kinda nice. And truth be told, she wished he'd shown her one of his rare smiles but a grin was almost as good. At least he wasn't scowling.

"I'll think about it." She answered, looking over her work again. She dropped her sketches by her side and laid back on the grass next to Ichigo. She closed her eyes and felt the warm breeze on her skin. She opened one eye to see Ichigo doing the same. How long had they been coming here together? Rukia couldn't remember the last time she'd come here without him. In only a month and half, he'd become a central focus in her life. She barely noticed how fast time seemed to pass when by when they hung out.

Ever since he'd stormed into her life, things had taken a radical turn. Her bullying was lessening, thanks to Ichigo and Kyoraku's valiant efforts, she was doing better in school, she had instructors that actually liked and watched out for her…She couldn't help but feel that it was all due to him. It was hard to imagine her life without him now.

Meanwhile, Ichigo was having similar thoughts. Before meeting Rukia, he'd never had a real reason to do anything. Class was just a means to hang out with her now. Sure, he kept his grades up but that was because he wasn't stupid enough to let them slide. Most of his personal time he spent with her, if he wasn't studying or looking for a job. In such a short amount of time, she'd completely changed his world. Life held meaning for him now and he could hardly believe that it was all due to the violent, crazy, beautiful midget that was lying next to him.

They had been just what the other was looking for; someone to share their time with, both the good and the bad.

Rukia shifted and laid her head on his stomach like she usually did. Ichigo was too comfortable to complain like he usually did. For now, life seemed good, even with the storm clouds on the horizon.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Rukia's sketches have always influenced me…I will not say in what way…

Please Review and keep on smiling in the sun!


	10. Interference

We're The Same

Chapter 9: Interference

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>It had been only a few weeks ago that the sun was shining bright and Ichigo and Rukia were enjoying the pleasure of the secret runaway spot. Now, a heavy rain had ruined it all. As if on cue, Rukia was bombarded with projects and assignment for her business classes and Ichigo was struggling to find himself a job.<p>

They had been so preoccupied with school and job searches that they barely saw each other. It was like the rain itself was trying to keep them apart.

Ichigo had just come from another job interview that hadn't gone well. They flat out told him he wasn't qualified to work for their store. Sure, it was a high class clothing store but the least they could have done was actually interview him. The moment they saw him and his orange hair they informed him, "The position has been filled."

It was the same everywhere. He had neglected to sign up for work-study through the college and it was really hurting his chances of getting rent paid on time. He made it a duty to keep this information from Rukia. He felt bad not telling her but if he did it would only lead to another argument and not the fun kind.

There was still on alternative left open to him but…

* * *

><p>"You definitely have potential here." Ukitake said as he examined Rukia's artwork.<p>

Rukia breathed a long held sigh of relief. She had worked herself up so much on the way over here that now it seemed stupid of her to be so worried. It was just a few pictures, that's all. Pictures of cutesy bunnies and rainbows and other things most small children like to draw! But now she sat there, watching Ukitake smile at each and every one of her pictures. So here she sat, in his office, ears revealed for the world to see, hoping he'd find them just the least bit interesting.

"Thank you, sir." Rukia said bowing. Ukitake turned his smile to her.

"There's no need to call me 'sir', Rukia. Feel free to address me informally, as I had done towards you." He waited for an answer.

Rukia lifted her head and replied, "Alright, Mr. Ukitake." It was her best attempt at being informal with him. Calling him by his first name felt too awkward. Ukitake looked over the last of her sketches and glanced back at her.

"Do you mind if I hold on to these for the weekend? I'd like to study them in greater detail."

Rukia's heart fluttered and overwhelming confidence filled her. "By all means, go ahead. I've got a spare sketch pad anyway. Besides, it's not like I spend all my time drawing my little dinky drawings, ya know." She felt like she was babbling so she quit, embarrassed that she had begun to ramble. Ukitake just laughed and smiled at her obvious nervousness.

"Well, I thank you for allowing me time with your work." He reassured. "By the way, I was wondering if you ever considered joining one of our drawing classes. You certainly have talent. I could probably get you into one of the advanced level courses."

Rukia's eye widened at the idea. Her…in an advanced drawing course. No way, all she can do is draw wonky little bunnies with flowers and strange monsters killed by the power of kindness. "I'm not really sure…"

Ukitake raised his hand to quiet her. "I understand. You need time to think. I know you must be busy with your other course work but I hoped to convince you to join. It's not often we find a business major with such artistic talent."

Rukia blushed a bit at his complement. "It's nothing really…" her ears drooped a bit with her embarrassment.

"It most certainly is not nothing. It is hard to find someone brave enough to draw with such joy behind their work. Far too many of my students do not feel the joy of putting ink to paper. You are a rarity among art lovers." Ukitake's reassurance did wonders for her. She glanced at her work and for the first time, it filled her with pride. Someone, besides Ichigo, could tell how much love and enjoyment went into her work. It began to make her question why she was involved in business at all.

"In any case, thank you for coming by today, Rukia. I'm afraid I have a class in a few minutes so I need to be going." Ukitake informed her.

"Right. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice." Rukia bowed again and gathered her things. She placed her beanie and hood over her head, wished him a good day and left. After she was gone, Ukitake glanced at her drawings again.

He thought of how happy she must be when she was drawing her little rabbits and wished that soon, that happiness would spread and she would not hide how she was from the world any longer.

* * *

><p>For a single moment, the universe itself ceased all function and consequently, hell froze over…and Ichigo accepted the job offer from his landlord.<p>

Urahara had been breathing down his neck about rent for a while before discovering that Ichigo had no job in which to earn money. The candy shop owner had "graciously" worked out a deal with the young man; Ichigo would work part time for Urahara and Urahara would take rent out of his paychecks.

Essentially, Ichigo became a slave. Whatever his boss wanted, Ichigo did it without complaint, no matter how absurd it was. From restocking to cleaning out the toilets, Ichigo was had no say in the matter. Worst of all it cut into his time with Rukia. He sighed as he gazed out the windows while he continued to restock; he noticed the dark clouds on the horizon.

It looked like heavy rain was coming and that was never a good sign for Ichigo Kurosaki.

* * *

><p>When Rukia finished her meeting, it was already raining. She rushed back to her dorm and up to her room. She cursed herself for not having her umbrella with her. She took off her wet clothes and changed into a comfortable pair of loose pants and a T-shirt, her ears and tail gladly enjoying their freedom.<p>

As she lay down on her bed to relax she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She saw a message from Ichigo on the screen…

_Hey Midget! You drop off the face of the world or something?_

Typical Ichigo. Well, she had been busy with all her school work lately. And ever since Ichigo began to go out job searching, they'd spent less and less time together. She knew Ichigo was trying to keep his job worries from her but it did little good, she was too perceptive to not notice his depressed attitude whenever it came up.

She smirked as she texted back…

_What's up, Dandelion! Sorry I've been super busy as an extra hard business major :{  
>Too bad I <em>don't_ know where I'm headed in life and so I have twice as much work as some people who don't even have a major yet ;p_

God how she loved to torment him about that. He still had no idea where he was going in life. Neither did she but at least she had a major with plenty of options. Her phone vibrated in her hand and she read…

_Yeah, must be hard. What with all the time you spend lounging in the sun…_

She was working on a comeback that had to do with his lack of finding work when her phone rang. Not buzzed or vibrated with a text message but actually rang. Rukia's mood darkened. There was only one person that ever called her…

Her brother, Byakuya Kuchiki.

She sat up and mentally prepared herself before calmly answering the phone. "Hello, brother. How are you?" she said with perfect tone and manners.

"I am well, Rukia." He didn't bother to ask how she was. That's just the type of person he was. "I assume you are aware of the reason for my call?"

Rukia became slightly puzzled. "I'm afraid I don't understand, brother. Is something the matter?" Byakuya barely ever called and when he did, it was often to criticize or complain about her behavior or choices.

"I am calling in regards to the message I received from one: Sosuke Aizen. I believe he is an instructor at your university."

Rukia's heart stopped. Aizen had contacted her brother! For what! She had been very careful not to get into any fights or to draw attention to herself. That man really had it in for her and it seemed that he found a new way to torment her, through her brother.

"He informed me that you have been acting rather irresponsibly lately. This I cannot permit." Even over the phone his tone was deadly cold. Rukia was frozen in fear. "He did not mention everything but he did tell me that you…struck a fellow student in the hallway a few weeks ago."

Rukia's blood ran cold. That time she kicked Ichigo. She thought that was behind her now but apparently that despicable man wouldn't let it go.

"I am appalled to learn of this behavior, young lady." Byakuya scolded, his voice still monotone. "You have already caused enough of a disturbance with the incident last year." He was referring to when she had fought back against the bullies and was punished for it. "I certainly hope you are keeping up with your studies and not letting yourself be distracted by…outside influences." A subtle threat but an effective one. Byakuya had never approved of her drawings. "I'm afraid that if such circumstances continue, I will be forced to remove you from the university."

Rukia's world stopped.

Leave the university. Discontinue her studies. Never be able to see Ichigo again...No! She couldn't let that happen, not now. Not after all the work she'd put in with her studies, not to mention her growing friendship with Ichigo! Her world was spinning and it refused to desist. Only the harsh tone of her brother brought back her back to reality.

"I will not have you humiliate the Kuchiki house any further. Do you understand, Rukia?"

"Yes, brother." She replied instantly, "I will do my best not to embarrass the Kuchiki House any further." Luckily, she was able to keep her voice even, despite the horrific look on her face.

"I trust you will do just that. Good day, Rukia." He ended the call before she could say more.

As he did, tears began to stream down her cheeks. How could this have happened? Why was this happening to her? It just wasn't fair! It wasn't her fault! But there was no way that Byakuya would take her word over an instructor's, especially considering how much respect Aizen commanded at this university.

The tears did not stop and Rukia let her phone slip from her hand and hit the floor. She buried her face in her pillow until the tears stopped. It was over now. There was absolutely no way she could go another three and half years without Aizen finding something to pin on her. Sooner or later, he'd find something insignificant to blow out of proportion and use it to convince Byakuya to discontinue paying for her tuition.

Rukia straightened up and fought off her tears. She forced herself to calm down. She didn't want to think about this anymore. She took several minutes to calm herself and get her voice back to a somewhat normal sound.

She wanted to see Ichigo. She wanted to just hang out with him and forget all her troubles and worries. If only for a little while, she wanted to feel happiness again. It was Friday and she couldn't stand being cooped up in her little room. She didn't know exactly what she wanted to do but with no CD player and no music to comfort her, Ichigo was the only thing she could think of to find solace in.

After taking a little more time to compose herself, she picked up her phone and dialed…

* * *

><p>As Ichigo returned to his apartment after slaving away for Urahara, he checked his phone for messages from Rukia. He'd hoped that he'd missed a message from her or something…<p>

Nothing.

She hadn't texted him for two whole days. He hated to admit it but he was quickly becoming dependant on his cat eared friend, though he'd rather cut off his own foot than even come close to admitting it.

Things in class had been going much better since Kyoraku was also watching out for Rukia's well-being. Although, Ichigo did notice the glares everyone seemed to be flinging his way. Rukia noticed them too. She tried to apologize but Ichigo pretended she wasn't talking to him, which led to another foot to his head. After that it quickly died down and they hadn't really talked much for the last two days. To Ichigo, it was maddening.

He sent her a quick text and plopped down on his bed. He thought about what he was going to do tonight, it being Friday and he had no plans. Then his phone buzzed. He honestly didn't expect a text back so soon.

Ichigo smirked at her reply, glad that she hadn't forgotten him. Leave it to her to find the most insulting thing about his life and use it as a way to place all blame, for their lack of meeting up, on him. He texted another little quip but got no response that time.

He waited but still, no response to his well-written jab came. For nearly thirty minutes he waited with no answer whatsoever. This bothered him. He knew he wasn't really out of line with his text. No way she'd let this opportunity for a perfectly good insult to pass by, it just wasn't like her. He checked the time and found that she wouldn't be in class now. She should have been back at her dorm by now. What was keeping her?

Unexpectedly, a soft jingle tugged at his ears. His phone was actually ringing. It had been ages since anyone had called him. It was probably his old man; the guy never knew how to stop butting into his son's life. He answered it without looking and said, "What do you want, old man?"

"_Old man! What the hell kind of hello was that!"_

Ichigo went into shock. That was not his dad. In fact, it wasn't even male. It was female and the tone was all too familiar. He pulled the phone away from his face to read the name of the caller.

Rukia Kuchiki

He checked it a couple of times just be sure, then he heard her practically shouting his name over the line.

"_Dandelion? Hellllo?...Ichigo? You there? Come on, this isn't funny…"_ Her tone was surprisingly nervous, desperate even.

Ichigo couldn't imagine why, it's not like this was the first time they'd…Holy crap! This _was_ the first time they'd spoken over the phone. Ichigo could hardly imagine that they'd never actually _talked_ over the phone before but then again texting seemed more appropriate somehow.

"Yeah, I'm here!" he practically shouted at his phone.

"…_Okay, no need to be so loud,_" she replied, Ichigo face-palmed. "_Anyway…Can I ask you a favor?_" Ichigo stiffened. She sounded way to formal and apologetic, like that time she'd tried to end their friendship. Something was definitely wrong and it needed to be fixed.

"Shoot," he tired to sound casual.

"_I was wondering if…I could come over to see your apartment?_" Again her tone sounded desperate, like his answer had the potential to shatter her world. This was more than enough of a reason to agree.

"Ah, sure. When?"

"_Right now?_" she asked carefully.

Although completely stunned by her words, Ichigo found himself instantly saying, "Alright. That works." At first, he thought that it may not have been the best idea, what with the rainstorm going on outside. It was coming down in bucket loads, after all.

He was about to suggest that maybe he was too impulsive when she replied, "_Really? You don't mind?_" Okay, she was being way too cautious and nice, two things he knew she rarely was. Now he knew something was up. Whatever reservations he had before disappeared, she was obviously in need of help and he'd be damned if he wasn't gonna be there for her.

"I'm not doing anything anyway. It'll be cool to have some company." He replied with his usual happy tone. He heard Rukia breathe a sigh of relief and let out a quick sigh himself. It wasn't much but it did settle his nerves a bit.

"_Alright then…I'll see you in a bit._" Her tone softened as she said those words.

"You know how to get here?"

He heard her scoff. "_Like I could forget you live next to the crazy candy shop guy._" Although it was kind of forced, Ichigo was happy that her usual attitude was beginning to shine through. He took another look out the window at the pouring rain.

"Why don't I meet you halfway? It's coming down pretty hard." He offered. He could almost hear Rukia smile.

"_That's what she said!_" she said quickly. A soft silence enveloped them. "_I had no choice._ _You set me up for that!_" She justified.

"Whatever," he sighed, "Do you want me come meet you or what?"

"_I think I can handle a little rain. I've got an umbrella anyway…but thanks for caring._" Once again her tone was laced with sadness. Above all other things, he hated to hear sadness in her voice. A girl like her deserved to be happy and no one had the right to treat her like a lower class being— No one.

Then a new thought occurred to him. What if someone had assaulted her when he wasn't around? He always worried about it, especially since Rukia always denied that she had been attacked whenever it did happen. Sometimes he found out because Kyoraku had to step in and deal with the troublemakers. He knew she was just trying not to worry him but it didn't help, keeping information from him did more harm than good. He clenched his fist just thinking about someone pulling at her delicate ears or tail! If someone had hurt her, he was going to make sure they couldn't have kids!

"I guess I'll see you here then." He replied kind of nervous.

"_See you in a bit then!_" She shouted as she hung up. After she did, a wave of uncertainty hit Ichigo.

It would be the first time he'd had a girl over to his apartment. Yeah, it was Rukia, his best friend but it was still a first. And you never forget your first…No! Stop thinking that way. It's just your good friend, Rukia. Nothing more! Or was it something more…

Ichigo shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. Rukia needed his help and he was sure that those thoughts would only complicate matters, despite the fact that he'd been having them lately. He jumped off his bed and stretched, looking around the room. The apartment was a total mess, not fit for his new guest to discover. He immediately set to cleaning mode and began the grueling task.

As he worked, he couldn't help but feel completely overjoyed. Rukia was finally coming to his apartment!

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Byakuya, while still a cool character, always screws things up along the way, doesn't he? Oh, well.

Please Review and thanks again.


	11. When Did The Rain Stop?

We're The Same

Chapter 10: When Did The Rain Stop?

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Rain. God, how Ichigo hated the rain. Little did he know, Rukia despised it almost as much.<p>

It had rained the day of his mother's funeral. Up until that day the sun shined bright but on that day, the sky wept for the Kurosaki's loss. Ichigo had been twelve at the time and had convinced himself that it was his fault. Ichigo had been sick the few days before his mother's passing. His mother's health had been failing for years but she still had every desire to take care of her son. Unfortunately, her body finally succumbed to the illness only after Ichigo had recovered.

To the young boy, it was like his health was traded for hers. That day, Ichigo stopped smiling. No matter how much he wanted to comfort his sisters, all he could do was plaster a nauseatingly false smile on his face for them. His father smoked his last cigarette and only lit up again when he visited her grave once a year.

Over time, Ichigo had gradually forgotten how to smile and rain was a constant reminder of that fact.

* * *

><p>Rukia had been in such a rush to get out of her dorm that she made three fatal errors. First, she forgot to wear a coat with a hood, so her ears were feeling the harsh sting of the wind. Second, she had also forgotten to hide her tail, which was flowing behind her, getting soaked as she ran. Third and finally, all that she brought with her was her cell phone. No purse or money or even a coat that had pockets! Luckily, she had remembered her umbrella.<p>

Under her coat she was still in her loose pants and t-shirt. All of this was far from her mind as she ran towards the crazy candy shop's studio apartment. She held her hand in front of her face, trying to block the wind but it did little good. She was freezing. The combined cold of the rain and fierce winds was taking a toll on her.

She began to run slower and slower until she was gripping her umbrella with all her might, forcing her legs to propel her forward in a fast walk. All she wanted was to get to Ichigo's apartment as soon as she could. When she got there, things would finally start to get better or so she hoped…and prayed.

Suddenly, a blast of wind ripped past her. She lost her grip on her umbrella and yelped as it was torn from her hand and blown far down the street. The wind shot her umbrella down the road so quickly that she knew she wouldn't be able to catch it. Rukia stood in horror as she began to get completely soaked in the heavy rain. Without thinking, she bolted for the shop at full speed. Unfortunately, she lost her footing soon after taking off and crashed into the pavement.

Pain shot all through her body as she stood up, the rain making her tears seemingly invisible. She noticed she was bleeding profusely from both her knees. Her legs wobbled as she forced herself onto her feet.

Ignoring the pain, she continued to run to what felt like her last place of solitude.

* * *

><p>Ichigo nodded to himself as he overlooked his perfectly clean apartment. He'd left no stone unturned, no crevice unclean, and no shelf not dusted. It looked perfect. He wasn't sure if Rukia would really care or not but he felt proud that he'd cleaned up before she arrived. He glanced at his phone to see that she should be there any minute. How long could it take that incredibly fast midget to run a few blocks?<p>

He checked to see what he had food wise, he knew he'd end up feeding her whether he wanted to or not. As he headed for the kitchen he heard a loud bang at his door. That must have been her. He considered for a second how she found his place so quickly, he figured she'd call and chew him out for not meeting her at the shop. Then again, it would be pretty hard for her to miss the name plate that clearly read, "Kurosaki" on the door next to the store entrance. The banging increased and got louder, ringing through the studio apartment as he approached the door.

"I'm on my way! Don't be so impatient!" he shouted, pretending to be annoyed. He was actually ecstatic that Rukia was finally here and he'd get to spend some time with her. It felt like it had been forever since they had gotten together, mostly due to the horribly depressing weather.

Ichigo could not hide his grin as he opened his door to greet his guest. However, the sight in front of him drained all happiness from his being. Rukia stood sopping wet from head to toe, her bang covering her eyes, her knees bleeding on his doormat. Her ears and tail were completely soaked and drooping. She looked like a wet and tired stray cat that wandered down alleyways during rainstorms!

"Hey…" she barely got out before he jerked her inside and out of the rain. Water and blood dripped onto Ichigo's old carpet as she stood shivering in front of him.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and shouted, "Who did this to you!" Rukia did not respond, she only stood in place, shivering. He shook her slightly. "I said, who did this to you!" he furiously repeated. Again she only shivered. "Dammit, Rukia! Tell me what happened!" he shouted close to her face.

He was about to ask again when shot her head up and shouted in his face, "NO ONE DID ANYTHING! I TRIPPED! THAT'S ALL! GET OFF MY BACK AND STOP YELLING!" She immediately hung her head again, gripping her shoulders with her tiny hands as she furiously trembled from the cold.

Ichigo suddenly released her. Damn, what an idiot he'd been! He felt like beating the crap out of himself for being so single-minded! She stood shivering and trembling in front of him and all he could do was question her? Goddamn rain, it always through him off! He grabbed her hand and pulled her to his old, worn-out chair. She muttered a protest but didn't have the energy to really fight him.

He forced her to sit in the chair while he grabbed the blanket he'd placed on the couch for decoration. He threw it over her and wrapped it around her trembling frame. The moment that was done he rushed to his bathroom and got three towels and his first-aid kit. As he passed by his room, he grabbed some spare clothes and the portable heater he'd bought because his apartment was always so cold. Damn Urahara for not installing heaters! He threw all the provisions in his laundry basket and hustled back to Rukia.

Rukia continued to shiver. She wasn't sure why she was even here anymore. She had just wanted to hang out and forget that her life was falling to pieces around her. But now look at her; she was causing trouble for him, like she always did. She thought about just getting up and leaving when he suddenly returned with his provisions. He placed the heater in front of her and turned it on full blast. The noise made her finally look up. When she did, she saw him spread a towel over her damp head.

He began to furiously dry off her head, feeling her dainty ears underneath. Rukia winced in pain and he realized he was rubbing too hard. He immediately softened his drying but did not relent. Rukia sulked underneath the towel, guilt taking over her thoughts.

"You don't need to…" she choked out before…

"Shut up, Rukia."

Her eyes widened at the tone of his voice. It wasn't harsh or angry, rather it was full of concern and worry; possibly fear as well. It was a tone she'd never heard from him before. Even that time he had come to her dorm he did not have such a worried and frightened tone to his voice. It made her feel even more guilty for having him do this for her. He shouldn't have to put up with her and her mistakes.

He finished toweling off her head and handed her a fresh towel and some of his spare clothes. The clothes were just a simple pair of boxer briefs and small shorts, plus the smallest t-shirt he could find, which was still way oversized for her. She glanced up at him, uncertain.

"You need to get out of those wet clothes," he said standing upright, "I'll wait in the bathroom 'til you're done. Just let me know when you finish changing." He pointed to the laundry basket he'd brought in. "Just put your wet clothes in there and I'll take care of them later." She opened her mouth to protest but he cut he off. "No excuses. As soon as you change, I'm gonna take a look at those knees of yours. So, don't take too long."

He didn't give her time to react, he B-lined for the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Rukia sat for a moment, contemplating. Ichigo was right, she knew that. But he'd had given her _his_ clothes to wear. It was just embarrassing! Then again, looking at her current situation, she didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

She slowly stood up, wincing at the pain in her knees. She was still bleeding on the carpet and was ashamed of it. She used the spare towel to wipe up the blood on her legs as she slowly peeled off her wet shirt and pants. Shivering in her undergarments, she began to dry herself off with the other towel that Ichigo had left for her. She had to take extra time to dry her tail; it was always the hardest part to get completely dry.

Rukia realized that her bra and panties were completely soaked too and would need to be discarded as well. She contemplated just leaving the wet articles on when she let out a loud sneeze. That settled it! She unclipped her bra and discarded her panties. Standing completely naked in Ichigo's apartment, despite the situation, was incredibly awkward for her; especially considering it was her first visit.

She quickly pulled on the boxer briefs and shorts and pulled the t-shirt on over her head. She had to readjust the pants to get her tail into a comfortable place; his clothes were obviously not Nekojin friendly. As she readjusted her new attire, she smelled a familiar scent. She lifted up the shirt she was wearing and breathed deeply though her nose. The smell of Ichigo invaded her nostrils and she could not stop the smile that erupted on her face.

She remembered this smell. It had clung to her beanie for a couple of days after he'd given it back to her that first time. Gradually, as the smell faded, she'd forgotten about it but now, encased in his clothes, that familiar, soothing, intoxicating smell dominated her senses. Then a new thought crept into her mind…he was being incredibly generous.

It took him almost no time to get her inside and start safeguarding her. He'd wrapped her in a warm and fuzzy blanket, gotten a heater for her, partially dried her off himself, and even planned on bandaging her battered legs. Where the hell was the Ichigo that didn't seem to care about anything except scowling? She knew he was a nice guy at heart but most of the time he wore the scowl and pretended not to give a damn. It was what made Ichigo…well, Ichigo!

Why was he being so nice to her? And more importantly, why was her heart racing? Just thinking about all the things he'd done for made her heart flutter…why was that? She was probably just happy that someone actually bothered to care about her, seeing is how so many people would rather leave her to bleed to death on the street. Yeah, Ichigo was just being his overly nice self and that's all…surely, that was all it was…

She pushed those distracting thoughts away and made sure she was comfortable in his clothes. She wrapped the blanket around herself again and nervously called out to him…

* * *

><p>Ichigo leaned against his sink, watching the raindrops pound the bathroom window. He mentally cursed the rain. Why did it always seem to be out to get him? First his mother, now Rukia. It'll probably rain on his wedding day too!<p>

Normally people enjoyed the sound of raindrops but to Ichigo, each droplet that plunked onto the building was like a thin needle quickly jabbing him in the heart before retracting to do so again with the next plunk.

If rain had a body, he would have buried it in the woods by now. As he continued to wait, he thought about what to do next. All the ideas of the things he and Rukia could do for fun were gone from his mind. All he was concerned with was how to help her. Something was obviously bothering her, besides just the bad fall.

If she was acting like usual herself, she'd of pounded on the door and shouted at him to let her in while demanding that he do something about her knees. Yeah, she'd boss him around and tell him what to do and how to please her because she would have been _so_ traumatized. The idea brought a smile to his lips.

"I'm finished…" he heard her call to him.

Ichigo dropped all other thoughts and concentrated on his very simplistic way of approaching the situation. First, clean and bandage her legs. Then, find a way for her to get comfortable and warm. Finally, let her tell him what he needed to know without much prodding. Being forceful with her only worked when she was at full health and even then it was rarely successful.

He opened the bathroom door and found her sitting on the floor next to the heater, wrapped in his blanket. Rukia was almost completely hidden from view because she'd wrapped the blanket over her head as well. He was going proclaim that it was a fire hazard to have the blanket so close to the heater but thought it might hinder more than help. He slowly approached her. She didn't even look at him; she was too preoccupied with raising her body temperature.

Ichigo grabbed the first-aid kit and knelt beside her. "Let me see your legs," he said softly. Rukia jumped a bit, not realizing he was right there. She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. Ichigo was almost marveled at how much she tried to use pieces of cloth as tools to hide from the world…almost.

"The bleeding's stopped. There's no need to…" There she went again; trying to minimize the damage and persuade him not to give her the help she obviously needed. She could be so stubborn sometimes. Normally, he liked that about her but right now it was just annoying.

"We need to clean the wound, Rukia." He said cutting her off, "Trust me, my old man's a doctor who runs a family clinic. I know a thing or two." He reassured her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She made no effort to move. "If we don't treat them soon, they could get infected." He pressed. Again, she didn't move, causing him to scowl. Damn stubborn little midget! Was she trying to sabotage her own life! He paused to think and came up with a new approach.

He shifted his weight and peered out in front of her. For a moment she glanced into his eyes before staring at the heater. Ichigo, however, never took his eyes of her beautiful violent orbs. "Please, Rukia." He whispered softly, his voice dripping with worry and concern.

He saw her eyes soften and he knew he'd won. "Alright," she said, still not looking at him. She'd never give the Dandelion the satisfaction of letting him know she knew he was right.

She slowly stood up and placed herself on his couch, since the chair was still wet from her initial sitting. She slowly unwrapped the blanket and Ichigo gasped. While the bleeding had stopped, her legs were covered in dry, sticky, blood spots; bits of dirt and grime extended down her once clean and beautiful legs. Rukia noticed his look of worry and grimaced to herself. This was definitely _not_ what she had wanted to do tonight.

She watched in amazement as Ichigo slowly unpacked all the medicinal items from the first-aid kit and arranged them in the order he needed to use them. First, he cleaned off the blood with a wet cloth he'd gotten from the bathroom. Rukia didn't make any noise as he grabbed onto her legs and gently scrubbed them clean. She had to resist the urge to violently kick him in the face since she was not used to someone touching her legs. Besides that, even though he was trying to be gentle, it really hurt when he wiped off the blood, dirt, and grime.

As she fended off her violent nature, Ichigo finished scrubbing and began applying disinfectant. Rukia's whole body tensed as she felt the sting of the alcohol. However, she didn't make a peep. She refused to let him see her in any more pain. It was embarrassing enough that he'd seen her in such a pathetic light but it would be all the more humiliating for him to see her squirm because of the pain from something so simple as _disinfectant_!

He finished with the disinfectant and began wrapping her legs in the most comfortable bandages she'd ever felt. Not that she often compared bandages but she noticed they seemed very high in quality, most likely a gift from his father. Ichigo did mention that his old man was a doctor of sorts; it made sense that he'd make sure his son had a functioning first-aid kit. When Ichigo finished, he placed all the items back in the kit, looked up at her, smirked and said, "There you go. At least you won't be kicking me for a while."

No matter how hard Rukia didn't want to, she let a tiny smirk pull at her lips. She reached forward and playfully jabbed his head. "No worries. I've still got two good arms to beat you with."

Ichigo's smirk widened into a full grin. "I'll be sure to keep out of reach."

"Yeah, your freakish height has the advantage…for now!" Rukia chided readjusting her blanket to cover her legs.

Ichigo got up to put the kit away but before he made it to the kitchen he called back, "Not my fault you evolved from a pigmy!" He rushed out quickly as a wet towel was flung at his head. After he left, Rukia let her hands slide down to her bandaged legs. She ran her hand over them, feeling the warmth from his work still fresh on her appendages.

She allowed herself to smile as she continued to run her hand over the bandages.

* * *

><p>Rukia was getting impatient as she waited for Ichigo to return. He'd been in there for nearly thirty minutes. What the hell was keeping him? She picked herself up off the couch and stood. Her legs were weak but more than enough to carry her to the nearby kitchen. As she walked, the blanket around her body began to drag on the floor behind her and the blanket fell off the top of her head to showcase her ears.<p>

As she approached the kitchen she smelled something delicious. She poked her head in the doorway and saw Ichigo slaving away over a large pot. The wonderful aroma coursed through her nostrils and her ears perked up in happiness.

Ichigo was preparing the stew that his mother often made on rainy days. It always seemed to warm the soul. It was lucky he happened to have enough ingredients, seeing how he barely afforded rent. His mother had prepared this stew for him when he was sick, shortly before her passing. Ichigo had not attempted to make the dish for many years due to the painful memory it brought him. He had a sad smile on his lips as he tasted the brew. Just as good as he remembered!

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something twitching, he glanced over to see Rukia's head in the doorway; her ears perking and twitching with excitement. He grinned at the sight. "Get bored out there?" he jested as he cut up some vegetables. Out of his peripheral vision he saw her smirk.

"I can't believe you left a defenseless girl all alone in some random guy's apartment. I could have died of loneliness. I've read about things like that, ya know. Tragic…" Her usual attitude was making a comeback and both were soaking it up.

"Well, this 'random guy' is making you some food, so if I were you, I'd get with the begging." Ichigo turned away from her to concentrate on his cooking. Meanwhile, Rukia fully entered the kitchen, blanket dragging along the ground as she walked.

"Dandelion, the only time you'll ever hear me beg is in your perverted dreams!" She saw him roll his eyes. "So get your mind out of the gutter and make me some food! I haven't eaten all day!" she proclaimed as she swirled around to head back to the living room.

As she left she heard him call back, "What am I, your keeper? Learn to eat your own food, ya gluttonous Midget!" Her head flew back in doorway and she stuck her tongue out at him. She then retracted it just as quickly as it come.

Ichigo smiled to himself as he went back to his stew. He checked everything and was proud that he'd remembered to do everything correctly. He glanced at the doorway then back to his cooking and smiled warmly. He knew this memory would stay with him forever because now he finally had a reason to really smile when he was making this stew.

Meanwhile, Rukia plopped herself back on the couch in front of the heater. She was plenty warm now but his apartment was unnaturally cold and she was in shorts for God's sake! As she got more comfortable on the couch all she could think about was how great her evening was going, especially considering how it started. She turned her gaze to the kitchen and listened to the sound of Ichigo preparing the food. She tucked her head inside the blanket and smiled to herself. It was the first time in her life that someone besides her sister had willingly taken such good care of her.

She fingered her ears and tail under the blanket and her smile widened. Being here, in his apartment, was like a dream. A dream that she wished would last forever.

* * *

><p>Ichigo brought out two large bowls of his mother's miracle stew, along with a card table to set them on. Rukia stared at her bowl, her eyes growing wider and her stomach rumbling as he approached. He set her bowl in front of her and she glanced at him for approval. He grinned and nodded so she instantly dove into her meal. With one bite, her ears perked even higher and she began eating in earnest.<p>

Rukia marveled at the level of culinary genius that was this stew. All the spices were blended perfectly, the vegetables were tender and soft, the meat practically melted in her mouth. Before Ichigo even took a single bite she held her empty bowl in his face and demanded, "More please!"

Under normal circumstances, Ichigo would have told her to get it herself but considering her injuries and that she was a guest, he humored her. He poured all the contents of his bowl into hers and she instantly began feeding again. Ichigo smirked to himself. She looked absolutely adorable when she was scarfing down food, like watching a hungry kitten chow down on its first meal. Okay, now that was a weird idea…

Ichigo got up and headed to the kitchen to get more. Lucky he'd made a double batch, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten any himself. He returned with a full bowl and Rukia's eyes pleading with him as she held out her bowl. "More please. If you have any…" she smiled nervously and looked absolutely loveable. Ichigo blushed at the sight.

He quickly grabbed her bowl and said, "This'll be the last of it…"

Rukia shouted with joy, letting the blanket around her fall. Ichigo drank in the sight. There she stood, in his clothes, tail swishing in merriment, ears twitching with excitement and all Ichigo could think was how completely and totally…cute…she was.

He'd always thought she was cute but damn she was taking it to another level today. It was the clothes, it had to be. Or maybe it was that he could see her fluffy part and she wasn't furiously trying to hide them from view. Either way, it was the first time he'd actually registered her as cute.

He shook his head and sped off to the kitchen. He came back to see her covered up with the blanket again. Even though he didn't blame her, it was ridiculously cold in his apartment; he was still disappointed that her fluffy parts were not visible. After she gobbled down the remaining stew, she leaned back into the couch and let out a great sigh.

"Best. Meal. Ever!" she said loudly. She glanced at Ichigo, smiled and said, "Thanks for the food, Dandelion." Ichigo didn't even need the thanks; the smile was more than enough.

"Just don't make a habit out of this."

"I am totally making a habit out of this." She cooed as she snuggled into the couch more.

Ichigo let out an exaggerated sigh and took their bowls to the kitchen. After doing the dishes, he came back out to find Rukia slowly beginning to nod off. Made sense, now that her belly was full, she was busy processing the food and would naturally get sleepy.

Rukia barely noticed him return until he tapped her on her head. Her eyes shot open and she glared at him. "Hey! That was uncalled for!" she proclaimed with tired eyes.

Ichigo tapped her again and replied, "If you're going to sleep, do it somewhere less conspicuous." Rukia's tired eyes widen as he realized what he had said. She looked to his clock on the wall and discovered that it was already past midnight. She looked out the window to see the rain still pouring. She was not looking forward to the trip back to her dorm, especially since she was so unbelievably comfortable.

"You're not going anywhere." Ichigo told her, as if reading her mind.

She shot him a look. "I can't stay here…"

"You can and you are." Ichigo informed her.

Rukia stood up to protest but her strength finally gave out. She fell forward but suddenly stopped. She opened her eyes to see herself suspended above the ground. She looked back to see Ichigo carefully holding her upright. Rukia sighed, no use in fighting it when she could barely stand up.

Ichigo began to lead her somewhere, she couldn't tell where; exhaustion was taking over her. She felt him guide her to a soft surface with pillows and blankets. She didn't resist when he helped her climb into the structure and cover her up with warm heavy blankets. Her mind began to slowly drift off to sleep.

Before she completely lost consciousness she whispered, "Thank God I have you…"

* * *

><p>Ichigo smiled as he left her asleep in his bed. Luckily, he had a very comfortable bed with a great mattress. He made his way back to the living room and prepared the couch for himself. He was glad Rukia was so exhausted, he really didn't want to think what would happen if she'd put up a fight like she usually did.<p>

He smiled at the thought of them fighting over who got the couch. He knew that she'd probably refuse to take his bed and demand the couch and only because it would be embarrassing to accept sleeping in your friend's bed. He knew he'd feel awkward if she demanded him to sleep in her bed. Sleeping in her bed…the thought wandered into his mind briefly before he forced it away. Go away creeper thoughts…you're not welcome here!

Ichigo grabbed a spare blanket and made himself comfortable on his sofa. Whatever was bothering her enough to seek him out tonight could wait for her to explain in the morning. Her health was far more important to him at the moment.

He squirmed on the old couch, trying to get more comfortable. It was the first time he had spent more than five minutes on the thing since he'd moved in over a month ago, funny thing, huh? As he began to slumber he couldn't help but think about the heartfelt words that escaped her lips before she fell asleep.

"_Thank God I have you…"_

Ichigo's smile widened even more as he drifted off to dreamland. For some unknown reason he glanced out the nearby window and was greeted with the sight of absolutely no rain. He lay back and the thought of his wonderful Nekojin friend sound asleep in his bed invaded his mind.

And just before sleep consumed him as well, he whispered, "Thanks for stopping the rain…Rukia."

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Damn was that a great chapter! This was another one I slaved over and it turned out fantastic! How will these new feelings affect their relationship, hmm? Read on to find out.

Please Review and thank you all for all the encouraging and wonderful reviews until this point. You all rock!


	12. Rainy Day

We're The Same

Chapter 11: Rainy Day

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>When Ichigo awoke the next morning he was greeted by the horrific sound of his worst enemy…the rain. He scoffed as he rose from his couch. Sometime after he'd fallen asleep it had started up again and was currently pounding on his windows furiously; so much for them enjoying the nice sunshine in their secret runaway spot today. Usually, this is when he'd whine and complain about the appalling weather but today his only thoughts were of the little Neko sleeping in his bed.<p>

He peeked in the doorway to his room and smiled at the sight before him. Rukia was curled up under his covers, her feline ears flattened against her head for added warmth. He watched as the sheets would rise and fall with the rhythm of her breathing. He heard a soft rumbling from her direction and leaned in to listen more carefully. If possible, Ichigo's smiled widened.

Rukia Kuchiki…the tough, no-nonsense, violent, adorable, wonderful, cat-like midget…was purring softly in her sleep like a kitten. Ichigo felt a strange feeling well up inside him as he took in this scene, a feeling he was not ready to understand.

Ichigo slowly crept out of the room and headed for the kitchen. If there was one thing that he knew he'd need upon her awakening, it was food.

* * *

><p>An intoxicating scent encased Rukia as she awoke. Her eyes fluttered as she slowly got up, her body stiff. She breathed in deeply and tightly hugged the pillow she was using. Rukia smiled to herself as she recognized the aroma. All around her it smelt of Ichigo. Rukia closed her eyes again, prepared to slumber longer when she realized something crucial...If she was hugging a pillow and sleeping in sheets that smelled only of her Dandelion-like friend, then that must mean…!<p>

Her eyes shot open and she jolted up. She threw off the covers, jumped out of the bed and into the cold morning air. Shuddering, she realized that jumping away from the place of safety and warmth might not have been the best plan. Then again, she was in the middle of panicking! She was sleeping in, what she presumed was, Ichigo's bed! How the hell had she ended up there!

She took a deep breath and shivered at the cold. She still wore the clothes he'd given her yesterday and the shorts really made her legs freeze, despite the bandages covering them. After weighing her options, she slowly climbed back into the bed and snuggled up with the pillow for warmth. As she did, she made the mistake of re-inhaling the scent that surrounded her. She smiled again and snuggled even tighter with the pillow. Her eyes shot open again. No, this was not what she needed to be doing! She tried to focus her thoughts on exactly what had happened last night.

Okay, she remembered Byakuya's call, getting upset, calling Ichigo for the first time, falling in the rain, getting to the crazy candy shop…

It all rushed back at that point. She felt like kicking herself. She'd been so exhausted that she didn't even notice that it was _his_ bed he'd put her in last night. Obviously her tired brain thought that he magically conjured a mass of pillows and blankets to encase and protect her with…because that made total sense given her exhaustion. Damn, this was embarrassing.

Rukia gazed around the room, noticing how bare the room was. All she found was a dresser with a single picture frame on it. Nothing else decorated the room, not even a bedside table. His lack of décor made her sigh. She breathed in, again marveling at the smell. She stopped herself and sat up. God, his bed was addicting. It was like catnip…err, Crack!

She regrettably forced herself out of the incredibly comfy bed and noticed the blanket she'd used last night was still on the floor. She wrapped it around herself again taking care not to let her tail get tangled up in the fabric. She glanced at the picture she'd spotted earlier. Walking over to it, ignoring her cold feet, Rukia smiled gently at the image. A tall man in a doctor's coat was smiling next to a long haired woman, who wore an equally brightening smile. Under them were two baby girls and a familiar orange haired boy.

Rukia marveled at how happy and cute Ichigo looked as a child. It was almost like they were two different people. Her eyes drifted back to the woman, it was obviously his mother. The warm and sunlit smile on her face looked exactly like the ones Ichigo had shown Rukia, albeit rarely. The picture was literally the only thing in the room that stood out, mainly because of how pleasant it was.

Rukia tore herself from the room and ventured into the living room. She looked around but didn't see Ichigo anywhere. His shoes were still there so he hadn't left. It was then that she once again smelt an intoxicating aroma. So, that's where he was. She let her nose lead her to the kitchen and was marveled at the illustrious sight before her.

A large stack of pancakes, eggs over-easy, and a tall glass of milk. It all sat on a plate on the small card table Ichigo used to eat all his meals on. At the sink stood Ichigo, washing dishes. He turned back to see her and grinned.

"Thought you'd slipped into a coma. Welcome back to the world of the living, Midget!"

Rukia slightly frowned at him. "Dandelion, that's not how you treat a guest." She marched over to what she assumed was her seat, her mouth watering. "At least you know how to attend to your guest's basic needs." Her voice betrayed her. Ichigo could hear the "thank you" she didn't voice in her comment. He pretended to ignore her and continued his dish duty.

She slipped off the blanket and carefully sat in her seat, making sure she didn't sit on her tail. She eagerly took a bit of the eggs and pancakes, washing it down with milk. Out of his peripheral, Ichigo saw her tail swaying behind her and her ears excitedly twinge. She was obviously pleased with his cooking skills. Ichigo would sell his soul to see that magical sight every morning…Whoa! Calm down there skippy!

This is Rukia we're talking about. The annoying, violent, destructive, adorably cute midget! Wait…adorably cute…Where the hell did that come from? He wasn't refuting it but it was still just Rukia, no matter how he looked at her…she was still just Rukia.

Rukia gulped down the last of her milk after finishing off the food. She flicked her tongue out to lap up the little bit of milk on her lips. She pushed back from the table and stretched her arms above her head, her ears and tail pointing along with her. She glanced out the window and noticed that the rain had refused to stop and her mood saddened.

Ichigo finished his work and joined her at the table. He noticed how her ears drooped a bit when she noticed the rain. "It's raining cats and dogs out there, isn't it?" he offered. She glared at him.

"I take offence to that." She mocked with a smirk tugging at the face.

"You would…" Ichigo fired back. Rukia kicked him from under the table and he yelped. "Dammit Rukia! Can't you go a single day without abusing me!

She put on an innocent look. "No, I don't think I can. It's my job to keep you in line. That's what friends are for."

The moment she let the word "friends" escaped her, the air changed. Both noticed it but neither said anything. Both knew it was an odd friendship they had, they beat on each other more than anything actually. Despite that, they always came back to each other, especially when they needed help. Rukia was quite aware that Ichigo had effectively saved her again last night. As she thought about it, she fingered the bandages on her legs carefully, not wanting to let him notice.

Ichigo was the first to break the awkward silence. "Guess you won't be heading home anytime soon." Damn, that sounded creepier out loud than in his head. Rukia pulled her head back and pretended to be disgusted.

"What am I, your hostage? I didn't realize you needed to take people captive just to hang out with them…" Her grin appeared even more catlike by the addition of her ears and tail in clear view. Ichigo grabbed the dirty dishes from her meal and headed back to the sink.

"I wasn't the one who begged to let you rush over here only to get all banged up because you forgot their umbrella!" Ichigo shot at her.

He quickly washed the dishes as she shouted back to him. "Excuse me! I had an umbrella! The stupid wind blew it away from me so I had to run for it! I'm not perfect you know! Damn near but not completely!"

Ichigo returned to his seat, grinning. "Don't you mean…purrfect!" he chided by rolling the "r", causing Rukia's face to twist in confusion and mild annoyance.

"Was that your failed attempt at poking fun at me? God, you really need some better material…or a lobotomy. Personally, the second option sounds better…" She said with a half grin on her face. She knew that if anyone else had made that joke, they be bloody and beaten on the ground by now. But since it was Ichigo, she decided let it slide…just this once!

"Well, you were purring so soundly in your sleep earlier that I thought it might carry over to your speech." He informed her with an innocent demeanor. Rukia's cheeks burned as the fated blush of embarrassment covered her face. Screw letting this slide! This meant war!

"What kind of sick pervert are you! Watching me as I sleep!" she shouted while suppressing her humiliation at being discovered. "I'm starting to think I was right when I accused you of only liking me because I'm a Nekojin!" If she hadn't been obviously joking, he would have been hurt. To him, it wasn't her heritage that made her special…it was her just being herself; violence and all.

"Not my fault you were purring so loud that China would be asking, 'Where the hell! Is that an earthquake!'!" Ichigo shouted back at her. Her blush now almost completely faded and her smug look was replaced with mock annoyance.

"I do not snore that loud and you know it!"

"It's called 'purring'! And yes, you do! I barely had to enter the room to hear it!"

She furiously pointed at him. "So, you admit to watching me in my sleep, you creeper!"

"I just came in to make sure you were sleeping soundly, okay? You nearly collapsed last night! Can you blame a guy for being worried?" he proclaimed, defensively.

"No, but I can blame him for being a creeper!" she screamed across the table, slamming her arms down to lean on it. "And by the way—"

She didn't have time to finish. The rickety table gave way with her along with it. She screamed as the table crashed into the floor. She closed her eyes and expected to feel the cold floor make brutal contact with her face but it never came. She opened her eyes to find Ichigo, once again, carefully holding her upright. Rukia was amazed, she hadn't seen him move. It was like he'd practically teleported!

The truth was Ichigo had seen the table shake as she slammed her arms down and jumped up immediately. He'd learned first-hand what happened when you applied that kind of force to a crappy table, his head was still sore from last time. That's what happens when you use a rusted card table to vent your anger.

He set her upright and she turned away from him and scoffed. "As I was saying…You need to get that piece of cardboard you call a table looked at. Or better yet, get a _real_ table. It's far too dangerous." She tried to act tough but the blush on her face was slowly spreading.

"I'll get right on that." Ichigo sighed. He took a moment to notice how attractive she looked in his clothes…Oh God, what about her clothes! Ichigo hoped she wouldn't ask the obvious but…

"And while you're at it…where are my clothes?" She looked out into the living room to discover the basket with her clothes missing. Her entire body stiffened as she glared at Ichigo. "What have you done with my clothes?" the sternness of her voice reminded him of Yoruichi, only worse because Rukia always took it upon herself to beat the crap out of him!

"Well, they were soaked so I…" Rukia walked up to him and stood on her toes to glare up at him.

"You _what_?" she demanded. Ichigo gulped and turned his eyes away from her. Not out of fear but out of how cute it was to see her ears and tail jostling around as she moved and spoke.

"I put them in my dryer just a little bit ago. They should be done soon…"

"You touched my underwear!" she growled at him. "Now I know you're trying to take advantage of me!" Rukia did a very good job of pretending to be angry, she had him completely fooled. In truth, she was impressed with his show of kindness but it was far more entertaining to watch him squirm. The old Rukia had returned!

"I didn't have much of a choice!" he retorted desperately. "How was I supposed to wash them otherwise? And besides, I didn't have to actually touch them! I just emptied the basket without doing anything!"

"Oh, so my wet clothes aren't worthy enough for you to handle personally, is that it!" she shouted.

"What! First you get all pissy about me washing them, now you get all fussy about _how_ I handle them! Make up your mind, ya crazy Midget!" It was only then that Ichigo noticed the little sparkle in Rukia's eyes. He knew that look. She'd completely played him and he'd bought it hook, line and sinker. His scowl returned and Rukia knew he'd seen through her.

She abruptly grinned and said, "Next time, I expect my clothes to be handled with more care. They do belong to _me_…after all!" She turned away from him but kept the wide smile on her lips, the playful tone and grin on her face was a breath of fresh air to Ichigo. Seeing her happy again and back to her usual self was more than worth all the food he'd have to restock on just to keep himself fed; but that was far from his mind now.

Ichigo let himself smirk. "Yeah, whatever." He quickly tapped one of her ears, which abruptly twitched upon contact. Rukia leapt away from him and defensively held down her ears.

"Hey! I didn't give you permission to tough my ears so keep your hand off!" She glared at him and he discovered his vengeance in that moment. "I don't go around tugging at your ears so do me a favor and keep your hands to yourself unless I say so!" she protested, rubbing her listening devices gently. Ichigo took that chance to take a spirited step toward her, grinning from ear to ear.

"So, if I have permission…I can fondle your ears?" he asked with false innocence. He knew he'd pay for this later but the opportunity was far too good to pass up. Rukia flushed and then scowled at him, which looked more like a cute pout than anything.

"That's not the point! The point is, I don't touch your ears so don't touch mine!" she yelled back, still pouting.

"Do you _want_ to touch my ears? I'll let you touch my ears…"

"No, I do not want to touch your ears—" she proclaimed before he cut her off.

"Is it because they're not fuzzy like yours? Ya know, if I had fluffy ears, I'd let you fondle them as much as you wanted…But I _don't_ and you _do_! You're just being selfish!" He pretended to be hurt.

"Again, that's not the point!" she shouted, her color returning to normal.

"That's _my_ point and that's all that matters!" He matched her vocal tones perfectly.

They glared at each other and though neither would say it, normalcy had returned for them. Even if they preferred this kind of interaction, to them it was the most entertaining and fulfilling way to spend a rainy day. Even if Ichigo desperately wanted to know what drove her here the night before, he knew she'd tell him eventually. Even if she also desperately wanted to tell him what had transpired before her fateful arrival, none of that really matter right now. They were in their own little world and no one could hurt them here and they loved every second of it.

Before the "fighting" escalated to all out "war", the doorbell rang. Ichigo and Rukia looked toward the front door in surprise. "You're expecting guests?" Rukia asked with an eyebrow raised.

"The only friend I have is standing in the kitchen with me so…No." Ichigo made his way to the door with Rukia treading behind him. As he reached for the door, he turned to see her peeking out from behind him, her ears attentive and her tail stiff. Ichigo sighed as he opened the door.

"Well, Ichigo. Good Morning."

Now, Ichigo wanted to punch something. On his doorstep was his landlord, Urahara; dressed in his usual clogs, stripped hat, and green robes. He had an old fashioned bamboo umbrella averting the rain from his head.

"I just wanted to see how you were holding up with all this depressing rain. Thought maybe I'd keep you company. In fact," he pulled a box from behind his back and held it out to Ichigo, "I brought Jenga!"

Ichigo grimaced as he looked at the strange box. "You got some freaky tastes, ya know that? It's an American game and it's pretty stupid…"

A pair of hands pulled on Ichigo's shoulder. Rukia propelled herself up and stared starry-eyed at the box, as if it was candy.

"You have Jenga! I love Jenga!" She turned to Ichigo, "Ichigo, let's play Jenga!" she shouted with the excitement of a ten year old.

Ichigo was fascinated at how she could go from being completely intellectual to downright childish in 0.2 seconds. Urahara waved to Rukia and said, "Well, Miss Kuchiki. I didn't know you were here. I'm sorry if I'm _interrupting_." The mischievous grin on his face literally hurt Ichigo.

"You weren't interrupting anything. Now go away. I already paid the rent." Ichigo growled at him.

Urahara ignored his comment. "I'd hate to interrupt further so I guess I'm not needed here. It seems you already have plans for this rainy day." He turned to leave but abruptly whirled back to them. "But seeing is how I came all the way over here, I'd be happy to loan you this little fella," indicating the game box, "So you two have something to occupy your time with…besides the obvious…"

Ichigo didn't even want to bother arguing with the strange landlord, he'd had enough. "No!" He moved to slam the door but Rukia quickly caught it and glared at him.

"I want to play Jenga." Rukia growled. "That's nice." Ichigo replied nonchalantly.

"It's not like you have anything better to do." She prodded. "It won't kill you to have a little fun."

"Having my teeth pulled without a pain killer would be more fun compared to this!" Ichigo protested, raising his voice.

Rukia decided on a new approach. "We need something to do while my clothes dry anyway. Why not build a tower or two?" She hoped that using reason would help her. Unfortunately, she underestimated Ichigo's stubbornness, which was second only to hers.

"This is why I own a TV! To avoid these kinds of situations!" Ichigo didn't even want to bother arguing with the strange landlord, he'd had enough. "No!" He moved to slam the door but Rukia quickly caught it and glared at him.

Rukia continued to glare at him while she held the door open. Urahara poked his head in again, still grinning. "While her clothes dry?" he asked mischievously, "I didn't realize you two got so freaky and so soon after you met…"

Rukia, who was used to Urahara's lecherous attitude due to her acquaintance with Yoruichi, just scoffed at the comment without thinking about it. Ichigo, however, turned bright red and shouted, "It's not like that! She just got a little wet from the rain! That's all!"

Urahara grinned wider. "That's what she said…" he chuckled.

"How does that make sense!" Ichigo shouted, blushing harder.

"It doesn't have to…"

Now, he'd had enough! Ichigo slowly began pushing the door shut with all his might while Rukia tried fruitlessly to keep it open. Ichigo was kind of embarrassed that she was strong enough to hold out against him for so long. Urahara intervened and pressed the door open just enough to hand Rukia the game box. She grabbed it with one hand and let the door go, making Ichigo fall forward as the door slammed. Luckily, Urahara had predicted this and pulled back as well.

Ichigo hit his head on the wall and slid down to the ground as Rukia triumphantly walked away, her fluffy parts dancing with each step. From outside the door, the landlord shouted, "You two 'play' nice!" Ichigo was about to yell at him when he heard the sound of Urahara's clogs growing faint in the distance.

He slowly sat up to find Rukia already building the tower of blocks. He sighed as he stood and made his way to her. "I blame the rain for all my misfortune…" he groaned. He took a seat next to her as she built the tower of multiple colored rectangles. He'd have to be blind not to see the childlike excitement that emanated from her whole body.

Watching her tail flow behind her as she moved around, her ears flittering in anticipation, the joyful smile on her beautiful face, the brilliant light in her violet eyes…He'd gladly play a hundred boring board games if he could see her this happy every day.

* * *

><p>After several rounds of Rukia making Ichigo lose at Jenga, her clothes were finally dry. Rukia elected to get them herself, partially because she was uncomfortable with him handling her undergarments. Ichigo wholeheartedly agreed. She changed in his room and left the clothes she'd borrowed on his bed. Ichigo was kind of surprised to see her in a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt, especially considering that her fluffy parts where showing of her own volition.<p>

It was late afternoon now and Rukia complained about being fed. Ichigo whined about her eating him out of house and home but she informed him that it was his privilege as well as responsibility to take care of her, since she couldn't leave due to the rain.

Ichigo popped in frozen pizza. As they ate it, Rukia complained about because she wanted him to make more stew. The moment she mentioned it, a sad smile formed on his face. Rukia had never seen him with such a melancholy expression. She didn't like it and wanted the warm sunlit smile she adored so much.

"What? You run of ingredients or something?" She sarcastically pointed out, grinning all the while. The sad smile did not falter.

"That and…my mom used to make it for me…before she died." He informed her. Rukia's grin fell away and was replaced by guilt. He continued, "She used to make it for me whenever I got sick." He chuckled a bit. "She called it 'The Rainy Day Stew'." He glanced back at Rukia, trying to smile genuinely. "I'm glad it still works."

Guilt wracked Rukia. She hadn't meant to bring up such a sad memory. She recalled the picture in his room. The woman who smiled like the sun was obviously the most wonderful and gentle mother that had ever lived. It was obvious not only in her smile but in the way she'd raised her son. After all, he had her smile.

Rukia did her best to recover and nervously smiled at him. "She must have been a great mom…"

"Yeah, she was." The sad smile slowly began to shift to a happier one.

"My sister was the closest thing to a mom I had." She informed him. He shifted his gaze to her as she continued. "My sister, Hisana, raised me since we were little kids. She always looked out for me…" Ichigo's expression became perplexed at her information. Wait, sister? Something she said didn't add up.

"I thought you only had a brother?" Ichigo inquired. Rukia sighed.

"He's technically my brother-in-law. He was married to my sister and had me adopted along with her. So, technically he is my brother…" It didn't sound like a typical happy ending to Ichigo. "But a few years after the marriage my sister got sick and died. She'd always been kinda frail and I guess the pressures of the family got to her."

For some reason, Ichigo was getting more and more frustrated by the second. "Your family pressured her? Why the hell would they do that?" He tried to control the level of frustration in his voice.

"I already told you my family is pretty strict and it didn't help that she was Nekojin too. They are a human family after all. She tried her best to live up to their expectations and overworked herself." Her words began to ignite a furious passion in Ichigo. How dare they treat a family member like that! Then a horrible thought occurred to him.

"Rukia…is your family the reason why you chose a business major?" It wasn't really a question, he already knew the answer. Ichigo noticed that her tail and ears had practically drooped to the floor during the conversation.

"It's mainly my brother…" she managed to say, depressing feelings welling up inside. "He thinks that without a financially stable future, I'll be shaming the Kuchiki household…That's the way it's always been in my family." Her voice cracked a bit. "I have to make sure I do nothing to embarrass the noble house of Kuchiki…"

"Rukia!"

She looked up at him but saw a blur. She blinked and it became clearer. Oh, God…she was crying. She hadn't even noticed it, no wander he sounded so concerned. She quickly wiped her eyes and turned from him. She hated herself for letting him see her cry; it was a weakness she could not afford to have.

"I'm fine…" she tried to reassure him.

"Bullshit! You don't look fine at all!" he proclaimed. His eyes widened in revelation. "Is this why you suddenly wanted to come and see me? Did something happen with your family!"

She cursed in her head. Damn him for being so smart and so concerned all the time. They both stayed silent for a while saying nothing. Ichigo forced himself to calm down; the look of pure sadness on her face, coupled with the tears she constantly wiped away, was driving him to madness. He stood up and took a seat next to her on the couch, forcing her to look at him. Her face was red and still trying to hold back the tears. Ichigo did the only thing he could think off, he smiled at her.

"Look, you don't have to tell me. It's your family and your deal…but I'm not just gonna sit by while you make yourself miserable. I'm your friend, Rukia. I'm here for you." Rukia could not stop staring at him in wonder. Why was he always so nice to her? Where did his boundless kindness come from?

"If you need to…" he stretched his arms out to indicate the apartment, "You can come here and cry all you want. I'll hide in the next room if you don't want to be seen but for God's sake just let it out. It's not healthy." Rukia looked like she wanted to say something but he refused to let her. "And another thing, you don't have to pretend like everything's okay while I'm around, you can just be yourself. I like you better when you're just being your usual annoying midget self."

Rukia balled her fist and punched his shoulder, not too hard but hard enough. She looked up to him with tears in her eyes. "What's your deal?" she tried and failed to sound sarcastic, "Always thinking you need to save me. I can take care of myself just fine…"

Suddenly, she felt him reach behind her and pull her close. He was hugging her. At first she panicked and didn't know what to do but he felt so warm that she quickly settled in to the hug.

"Everyone needs a little help sometimes…" he assured her, "I just caught you at a bad time." He joked as he let her rest her head on his chest.

Rukia smiled but didn't look at him. "I'm not going to thank you…you know that, right?" she boldly informed him.

"That's fine…I didn't expect you to…" he chuckled as he whispered.

Rukia's tear began to stream forth and she pushed her face into his chest. As she let the tears silently fall she utter a single word…

"Idiot…"

* * *

><p>"That bastard did what!"<p>

Rukia had settled down and Ichigo coerced her into recalling how her brother had called and "informed" her of Aizen's call. Surprisingly, Ichigo was far more pissed at Aizen than her brother, which Rukia was kind of impressed and happy about. You didn't want to be on her brother's bad side.

Honestly, Ichigo didn't think his hatred for a single human being could be pushed to this level but Aizen was quickly becoming someone Ichigo prayed would get mugged and shot…several times!

"So, as you can see…my chances of graduating are becoming slimmer by the day." Rukia had dried her tears and was regaining her usual demeanor. She took Ichigo's advice and decided to tell him why she'd just wanted to run and escape everything, not that Ichigo needed a reason for her to come visit him.

"I may even get expelled as early as Monday…" she tried to joke but it just wasn't funny.

"Not gonna happen!" Ichigo proclaimed. "I don't care who this guy thinks he is. No one messes with my friend and gets away with it!" Ichigo was all fired up now and Rukia began to worry.

"Wait." His enthusiasm died down as he looked to her. "I appreciate the offer, no seriously I welcome it, but he's a teacher. There's just no way to deal with this. My brother will always take his word over mine. It'd take a miracle to make sure that absolutely no problems were caused by or because of my heritage for the next few years…"

Rukia suddenly noticed a light in Ichigo's eyes. That couldn't be good.

Ichigo smirked as he said, "What if I told you I knew someone who could help?" His tone was a mixture of playful and malicious.

Rukia pulled back and her face twisted in confusion. "I'm not paying for a hitman…"

"Trust me, this is even better…"

Rukia was now even more confused. "I fear for my future…" she choked out as Ichigo smiled triumphantly at her.

Ichigo knew that Aizen was not the kind of guy he could take on with his fists. That would only hurt Rukia even more and anyone who hurt Rukia would receive no mercy!

Instead, Ichigo opted for the more…diplomatic solution.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, when the rain had finally stopped, Rukia sadly informed Ichigo that she needed to go. "Unlike a certain, lazy Dandelion." She said smirking. "I have a full list of homework to finish for Monday."<p>

"Oh, yes. Wouldn't want to keep you from your pointless business homework, now would I?" the sarcasm dripped from his voice. He didn't notice her foot moving to his shin before it was too late.

As Rukia approached the door, her eyes wandered to the coat rack on the wall next to the door. It held only a single coat. She smiled.

"I'm borrowing your coat." She informed him reaching for it. Before she got to it, his long arm plucked it away from her sight.

She turned back to Ichigo, who held the coat far above her, and gave him "the look". She laid her ears down flat and let her tail sag a bit as her eyes pleaded with him.

"Please…It's ever so cold…"

"Not my problem." Ichigo held his scowl. "Besides the rain stopped, it's not that cold out." His nonchalant tone disturbed her. She put her hands on her hips and puffed her chest out to appear taller.

"Not very gentlemanly of you…Letting a poor little girl freeze to death."

"Show me a poor little girl and I'll get you a coat. All I see is crazy monstrous midget…"

She kicked at him but he expected it this time. He pulled on his coat right in front of her, leaving her pouting at him.

"Asshole…" she hissed until he threw something at her face. She pulled it off and realized it was an oversized hoodie. She couldn't help the perplexed look on her face.

"It's called a hoodie…you wear them often…" Ichigo avoided another low kick. "Or you could walk home like that."

Rukia glanced down at her plain and un-protective clothing; a simple t-shirt and jeans with her heritage plainly showing. It's not that she wouldn't accept it; it was that currently, he was winning the argument. She couldn't stand for that! She threw it back at him and sneered, "Just let me use your coat! You can wear your own damn hoodie!"

Ichigo sighed. "If I let you use my coat, you'll end up keeping it at least for tonight and then I gotta walk all the way back home in the cold so take the damn hoodie so I can hurry and walk you home!" he shouted all in one breath. He tossed to back to her before she could protest.

Only she didn't. With the hoodie covering her face, it impossible to see the look of surprise on her face. "What did you say?" her voice muffled from the oversized garment.

"I said, I'm walking you home so hurry up and put the damn thing on." Ichigo tried to mask his embarrassment with annoyance. Rukia tugged off the hoodie and stared at him, her eyes searching.

"You don't need to…"

"Well, I am so deal with it."

"No, seriously it's cool…"

"What's the big deal? I'm just walking you back home. Don't have a conniption over it."

The annoyance was masking the embarrassment very well because Rukia wasn't sure if she should be angry or thankful for the gesture. With a defeated sigh, she pulled the hoodie over herself and said, "There. Happy?" Just this once, she'd let him win. He'd earned it.

"Ecstatic. Let's go." Ichigo said plainly as he opened the door for her and led her out.

Rukia was surrounded by the scent of Ichigo. She lay on her bed, still wearing the Dandelion's hoodie. The hood was up and hung over her face and nearly right to her nose, giving her a perfect vantage point to take in the intoxicating aroma.

She felt a little guilty but since Ichigo didn't seem so eager to have it back she kept it on when he'd dropped her off. Rukia snuggled into her pillow and reveled in the wonderful sensation of being surrounded by his scent again.

While her brain chalked it up to her overactive Nekojin senses, her heart had the gall to proclaim that it was something she continued to resisting admitting to herself.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Hey, everybody. Hope you're enjoying it. Who could they possibly go to for help? The Yakuza? No…Probably not. Read on to find out!

Thank you to all the anonymous reviewers who I can't message back, as well as the ones that I was able to send messages to. I appreciate all the feedback and I'm sorry if I neglected to send a message to everyone, things have been hectic lately but I love and respect you all. Thank You! XD

Please Review and keep up the reading!


	13. Taking Chances

We're The Same

Chapter 12: Taking Chances

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Shunsui Kyoraku was a kind and fair man, a little lazy but only when it came to certain subjects. This was not a subject he could be lax on. He stood outside Sosuke Aizen's office with his old friend, Jushiro Ukitake, patiently waiting for Aizen to return from his class.<p>

"Are you sure about this Shunsui? It won't be easy, even with Yamamoto's backing." Ukitake's voice was concerned but only for the well-being of his longtime friend. Kyoraku nodded to him smiling.

"You know me. I just can't keep my nose out of other people business, especially when it's one of _my_ students." Kyoraku's eyes held a determination that few of his students ever witnessed. Ukitake let out a sigh of relief.

"At least, we'll be doing this together. I'd hate to be the one to confront him alone."

Kyoraku scoffed. "It's not like you to be so cowardly. I have a feeling that even if Old Man Yama didn't agree with us, you'd still step in and deal with Aizen yourself. Having me here is just insurance for you." The brown haired instructor looked to his long, white haired friend and shot him a grin.

"Insurance? Wasn't it you who contacted me about this little affair?" Ukitake chided as they waited. "Personally, I think that if I hadn't agreed you would have done something that we'd all be regretting by now."

Kyoraku sighed and said, "I can only be pushed so far, Jushiro. And Aizen has pushed the limits of my patience."

"I know how you feel about all this but don't let it affect your judgment. We need to be united in this." Ukitake urged him.

"I promise to be on my best behavior, no matter how difficult it'll be." Kyoraku turned to see Aizen approaching. "Just remember, people like him don't deserve any mercy. So, don't show him any." Kyoraku's face turned deadly serious.

"I don't intend to." Ukitake repeated, his face becoming grim as well.

Aizen was generally surprised to see them awaiting him at his door. "Good morning, gentlemen." He said as he approached. "Is something the matter? I don't normally see you here at this time."

"We'd like to speak with you for a moment, Sosuke. If you have the time." The white haired instructor said very pleasantly, or as pleasantly as he could.

"Of course. I have an open period at the moment. Please come in." he gestured to the door and opened it for them.

"Don't mind if we do…" Kyoraku said leading the way, followed by Ukitake and Aizen.

"To be honest, I didn't expect to see the two of you today. It must be rather important if the two of you are here personally." Aizen said calmly as he took his seat behind his desk. The pair did not miss the hidden meaning in his voice. He was certainly not pleased by their arrival, much to their pleasure.

"I'll get straight to the point then." Ukitake said taking a seat opposite Kyoraku. "I believe you are familiar with Miss Rukia Kuchiki. She's a business major and one of Shunsui's students."

The glare on Aizen's glasses hid his eyes from view. So, that's what they were here for. "I have had the pleasure of meeting Miss Kuchiki on more than one occasion." He informed them. "She's a very bright girl, in my opinion."

Kyoraku held his breath so that it didn't betray him. "I'm glad you think so," he finally said, "It's always been a pleasure to have her in class. I don't believe she's taken a class with you yet, has she?"

Aizen's peaceful smile graced his lips. "Why no, she has not. But I do look forward to it sometime in the future." The instructors knew his meaning.

Aizen was the History instructor and Rukia would most likely need to take at least one class from him to graduate, a thought that made the two men furious. Who knew what kind of ridicule he could allow to happen to her in his class? Aizen was known for turning his back on the problems of his struggling students in favor of the more popular and athletic ones.

Ukitake spoke, not trusting Shunsui's judgment. "She is a rather bright girl, I would agree. I have been privileged to view some of her artistic works in the last few days. She really has quite a talent for drawing."

Aizen shifted his gaze to him. "I was unaware that she was taking one of your classes." Kyoraku couldn't help but smile.

"No surprise. It's not as though you keep tabs on each student you run into." He said it as a joke but they all knew it was an attack.

Aizen would often get information on the Nekojin students from their classmates in order to find out how best to "deal" with them. Ukitake and Kyoraku were very aware of his one sided vendetta against Rukia and her kind. No one was quite sure why but he seemed to possess an intense hatred for all Nekojin. This was not the first time he'd gone out of his way to expel a Nekojin. This time however, he had chosen the wrong adversary.

"She actually may be joining my class next semester." Ukitake's tone was soft but firm, a hint of a threat lay beneath it. "If all goes well that is."

"I don't see why it wouldn't—" Aizen began to say before being cut off.

"It seems that someone took the liberty to inform her brother of that incident outside my classroom the other day." Kyoraku kept his lazy smile in place. "I can only imagine that it was you, since the two of us were the only instructors present at the time."

Aizen chose not to hide from the accusation. "I was indeed the one to inform him. I felt it was my duty as an instructor to make sure her guardian was notified of such an event, seeing is how there was no form of punishment taken." The gentle smile was making both of the other instructors sick.

"I find it odd that you felt the need to do so, since I personally spoke to Old Man Yama about the incident and he decided to let it drop." Kyoraku raised his eyebrow at the bespectacled teacher.

Aizen hated how Kyoraku would always informally address the Dean. The man had only been working for a single semester and had not earned nearly the level of respect that Aizen had over his ten years of teaching. How dare Kyoraku waltz in here and act like he's somehow better than the man who the entire campus respects! Or at least the people on campus that mattered!

"It seems that we have different forms of dealing with a problem, Mr. Kyoraku. I simply thought this was the best solution to the problem. I meant no offense to you." Aizen wanted them to fall for his ploy like so many other teachers had in the past. He vastly underestimated these men.

"While we're on that. I was curious as to why you chose to contact her brother in the first place." Ukitake spoke up. "Rukia is not one of your students and therefore you have nothing to gain from this. I wanted to understand why you chose to do this without Dean Yamamoto's permission."

Aizen inwardly shuddered. If it was one thing these men had, it was their connection to the Dean of the University. "I felt that a simple phone call wouldn't be all that extreme. I didn't want to bother him with such a simple matter." Aizen knew that the Dean would easily side with them if it ever came to that. A situation he desperately wanted to avoid.

Ukitake's voice became very stern. "Regardless, you did not have any business interfering with a student that was not under your care." Aizen wasn't intimidated but listened intently. "Shunsui and I are here purely out of concern for you."

"Excuse me?" Aizen said bewildered.

Kyoraku straightened up. "We've decided to keep this little 'accident' between the three of us, Sosuke." Aizen focused on him. "We certainly understand that you were just concerned for the well-being of a student but you should really leave it up to her instructors in the future." Kyoraku smiled. "Wouldn't want your stainless record to be tarnished by one little 'accident' would we?"

Kyoraku let out a quick laugh and Aizen and Ukitake followed suit, although for Aizen it was simply a formality. Aizen certainly didn't want this to reach Yamamoto; it could be disastrous for his career. Not only that, they implied that they could and would use this incident as leverage in the future. As much as he hated to admit it, these two saw through him completely and were willing to take chances to fight back. Aizen was sickened that they went through all this trouble for an inferior, lower-being like the Neko-bitch Rukia!

"I certainly wouldn't want that." Aizen replied calmly, giving a light chuckled to help keep his frustrations to himself. "I am sorry that I stepped out of line this time. I will make sure it does not happen again."

Kyoraku waved his hand. "There's no need for apologies. We're all just looking out for our students in our own way, after all." He and Ukitake rose to leave.

"We'd best be going, Shunsui. My classes will start fairly soon, after all." Ukitake informed his friend.

Aizen rose to see them off. "Please feel free to come back and speak to me whenever you need to." Even thought quite the opposite was true, he'd be damned if he let it show.

"We'll do that. Thank you." Kyoraku said. "I'm heading home myself. I can't keep my cute little Nanao waiting for too long."

"I didn't realize you were married, Mr. Kyoraku." Aizen politely pointed out.

"Oh, yes. Ever since I laid eyes on her cute little cat-like ears and tail, I've known that she was the only one for me." Kyoraku said with a twinkle in his eye. Even though it would have been priceless, Kyoraku refused to check to see if Aizen's expression broke for even a millisecond.

The gentlemen said their good-byes and quietly left, triumphant smiles on their faces.

Aizen remained silent as the instructors left the room, his rage boiling but having no place to go. Somehow, these cat-loving freaks had disrupted his carefully laid plans to be rid of the Kuchiki girl!

That day, for the first time ever, Aizen was late for his class.

* * *

><p>As Rukia sat in Kyoraku's class with Ichigo, she couldn't help but wonder how she was still here. Nearly three weeks ago she had been at the point of breaking, packing and heading home; never to see Ichigo again! Yet, here she still was, sifting through her classes with thoughts of an actual future ahead of her.<p>

She wasn't sure how but Ichigo had indeed done something about Aizen. She practically didn't see him around anymore, which she would never complain about. Even the guys who usually harassed her had seemed to settle down. This marked the third week in a row she hadn't been attacked! Not that she was complaining…

In fact, she had even found times when she didn't feel the need to wear her hood and beanie to cover her cuddly ears; though her tail always remained concealed. Regardless, it felt amazing to walk around campus with Ichigo, her ears fully exposed and taking in the rest of the world. Sometimes the other students would shoot her a weird look of disgust but now, instead of shying away, she'd pleasantly look back at them and smile sweetly. She knew it drove them crazy when she seemed so happy and she reveled in it every time she had the opportunity, she'd had enough of silently taking abuse. Although, she admitted that it was particularly because she had Ichigo with her.

Speaking of which, she also noticed that her time with Ichigo was become more restricted. Ever since he'd walked her home after that enlightening weekend, the only time she really got to spend with him was either in class or at the secret runaway spot; which they both visited almost daily. She knew he had to work a lot to pay for rent and she was getting hammered by her business courses but it felt kind of odd to just see each other in class.

Was it her fault that she wanted to be with the only friend she had instead of studying? Maybe…but not really.

She glanced at him and let herself smirk a bit. No matter how little time they got together, it was always worth it. Particularly for her since she often vented her anger or frustrations on him, which he complained about but never really minded; or so it seemed to her.

However, one particular thought was on her mind right now…Spring Break.

Rukia never really made plans for any holiday except Christmas, which her brother demanded her presence for. In fact, she often didn't notice the other holidays as they passed, since she always spent them reading manga in her room. Then again, she never had anyone to really spend her off time with until recently.

She stole another glance at him as he scribbled his notes. Ichigo really had become her best friend. He didn't expect anything from her, didn't demand her company or even her respect. All he asked was that she be herself around him, as he was with her. It really didn't seem like to much to ask of her.

No matter how much she "mistreated" him, he always smiled back at her. Sure, he scowled a lot but that made his eventual smiles all the more appealing. She was getting intoxicated by his smile the more he flashed it to her. God, how she sometimes wished he do more than just smile…She even wore his hoodie to sleep every night because his scent helped her relax and nullify the negative thoughts that swam through her brain. When she was surrounded by his odor, all her troubles melted away and she slept soundly. Thank God he hadn't asked for the hoodie back yet. She didn't want to think about waking up in the morning and not smelling his intoxicating scent…

She shook her head and forced those thoughts away. She'd been having them more and more ever since her little episode at his apartment. She constantly told herself that it was just Ichigo being Ichigo and that he would do that for anybody who was his friend…She really had to convince herself of that, though she was unsure why. Besides, she was sure he didn't like her like that anyway. She was just a great friend to him and that was all…

Either way, Spring Break was fast approaching and now the only hard part was…asking him to spend it with her.

* * *

><p>When Ichigo had said that he wanted to help Rukia experience all the things that she had been missing out on, he'd meant it. He wanted her to make friends, go to a party, dance in a club, get drunk (in three years when they both came of age) and fall head over heels in love with someone that would love her and treat her with the respect and kindness she deserved. It was a great thing for him to want to do for her…so why did it fill him with such fear?<p>

Even since he'd seen her purring away in his bed, he'd wanted nothing more than to see that sight every day as he awoke. Despite that, he kept telling himself that Rukia was still just Rukia but his hormones began to spike every time he saw her, which unfortunately was not often these days.

Yet, every time he saw her, his day got a little brighter and nothing could keep him down. He knew he liked her but as a friend and only a friend…True, he'd never known what it was like to have a crush before but he assumed that this certainly wasn't it. A crush was a magical thing that you instantly recognized when you felt a connection to someone. What possible connection could he have with Rukia?

So what if seeing her in class was the highlight of his day? Did it matter that when they would meet at the secret runaway spot he felt like squealing in joy when she used him as a pillow? What difference did it make if he felt that his day was incomplete when he didn't get to see her? And surely it didn't mean anything that he wanted to be the one to make her smile everyday for the rest of her life—Okay, he was crushing hard!

No! No. This was not helping her. There was no way she'd ever consider going steady with a weirdo like him. Besides, she deserved better, in his opinion. She deserved a man that would always be there for her and make all her dreams come true and Ichigo had doubts that he could accomplish that. He had convinced himself that if it meant that she would be happy, he'd be willing to step aside and let her be with anyone she chose. Of course he'd need to make sure that whoever she chose to be with was good enough for her…I mean, what are friends for? God, he sounded like an overprotective brother!

Overall, what matter most was her happiness! He firmly believed that she had suffered enough torment and was entitled to a life full of happiness and fulfillment.

So when he saw a flier for the grand opening of a new dance club, he knew it was time to start educating her on how to enjoy being social again.

* * *

><p>"A dance club?" she asked skeptically. "You want to go to a dance club?" she was obviously confused and annoyed at the prospect. Nevertheless, Ichigo was determined to show her a good time.<p>

"What? I think it looks pretty cool." He was lying; he thought the idea was stupid. He hated loud parties and crazy music but Rukia's sense of pop music gave him the idea that she might want to try cutting a rug and shaking loose.

"It looks stupid." She frowned at him but he couldn't let her know he agreed. They had been discussing Spring Break and what their plans where while lounging at the secret runaway spot. Before Rukia had the chance to ask him to hang out with her, he'd sprung this on the Nekojin. "It's not really my scene, ya know?" she told him.

Ichigo's scowl deepened, making Rukia feel guilty. She glanced at the flier he'd brought with him. It really didn't look like much fun but if he would enjoy it and she'd get to spend time with him, then she knew there was no real choice to make. She sighed.

"If you really want to go then I guess I can be persuaded to tag along." She chided while nudging his shoulder. Ichigo's mood instantly brightened and he grinned at her.

"I promise you won't regret it!" he proclaimed. Rukia sighed into a smile, she could be such a sucker sometimes but only with him. Yeah, she'd probably end up hating the club but at least she'd be spending more time with Ichigo.

It may not be what she'd had in mind but time with Ichigo was time with Ichigo, after all.

* * *

><p>Finals came and went with a great amount of stress and pressure. Ichigo and Rukia exchanged texts quite often the few days before the dreadful test and that seemed to take the edge off a bit. But finally the horrid Final's Week was over and it was time for them to hit the club.<p>

Ichigo had set up the entire affair and was waiting patiently outside her dorm. He was a little dressed up but only slightly—A nice long-sleeve shirt and a pair of unripped, practically new blue jeans. He let his hair do its thing, having learned years ago that no amount of gel would stop its spiky return moments later. He looked pretty good, if he did say so himself.

From behind him, a familiar, rough voice filled his ears. "Let's do this, Dandelion."

Ichigo turned to see Rukia in an outfit he'd never even dreamed off. She was wearing a dark red ruffled, durable, long-sleeved shirt and a pair of nice fitting jeans. A yellow scarf was wrapped around her neck. She held a slight frown on her face, obviously not as enthused as he was. The most amazing thing was that she wasn't wearing a head covering, her ears were in plain view.

He was about to ask when she said, "I figured that if everyone saw my ears, they'd throw me out earlier." She joked as she approached him. The real reason was she felt like taking a chance since he'd be there with her. "Besides, I know your overprotective instincts will kick in just when they're _not_ needed." She mused humorously.

She poked him in the chest and pushed in back a bit before walking past the Dandelion. Ichigo was still trying to get steady after not only seeing her in such a cute outfit but also with her adorable ears shouting from the top of her head. He quickly pulled himself together and lightly smacked her on the back of her head.

"Just remember, if you get into trouble, cry out and tremble in fear and call out 'Save me! Save me!' just like you always do. Don't worry, I'll come running—" Her foot met his face, effectively silencing him.

This was gonna be one hell of a night, in more ways than one…

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

It has begun. The seeds of attraction have been planted. But what will happen at the club? Keep tuning in to see…

Please Review and thanks for the support!


	14. Clubbin'

We're The Same

Chapter 13: Clubbin'

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author note: A special thanks to my beta – vi0letbutterfly – for the amazing ideas used in this chapter. You rock!

* * *

><p>Rukia's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the impressive structure before her. Ichigo didn't think it would be that easy to turn her around, especially since she'd spent the last few minutes complaining about how she was convinced that she'd never enjoy a club. But apparently one glace at a shiny building with bright neon lights and pop music blaring was enough to entrance her. A total 180o.<p>

"Wow."

It was all that fell out the short Nekojin's mouth. Ichigo smiled to himself and marveled at the captivated look on her face. He knew he'd definitely made the right choice. It took him days to think of something that he figured they'd both be able to enjoy. Going to a movie was way too formal and date-like and he feared what would happen if they participated in one of the many house parties he'd heard about. Besides, this was a dry establishment, a rarity in today's clubs.

This was definitely the best option; the magical look on Rukia's face cemented it. "Let's hit it." His voice shocked her back to the event. She noticed he was leaving her behind and heading for the entrance. She rushed to catch up to him, hopeful and incredibly nervous at the same time.

* * *

><p>To the surprise of both Ichigo and Rukia, there were quite a few Nekojin inhabiting the club. Rukia had never seen so many in one place. It was practically a safe haven for them. All of them proudly displayed their heritage with what Rukia would have called reckless abandon. She subconsciously let a hand rest on her displayed ears. It had taken nearly four months for Rukia to become comfortable with displaying them in public and that was with the coxing and protection of Ichigo.<p>

These Nekojin were out dancing, sharing tables with other Nekojin and humans, even making out in the dark corners with both human and Nekojin partners. It was a shock to say the least. Ichigo had done some research on the place before deciding to bring Rukia here. Apparently, the club had new owner that had no discrimination against Nekojin; a rare thing to be found in Tokyo. Because of that, many Nekojin that just wanted a relaxing night on the town would often come here, causing the business to flourish.

Despite all that, Ichigo never expected it to be such a warm and relaxing atmosphere. It actually felt, relatively, safe here. Or at least as safe as a dance club could get. It was a positive assurance that he hoped Rukia shared with him.

"Not a bad place, huh?" No response. "Rukia?" Ichigo turned back to discover his Nekojin friend…missing! His eyes widened. Crap! How could he lose her after only just walked in the door! That was like losing a kid at Disneyland before getting through the front gate, only worse because Rukia could be mistaken for a child! He began to scan all directions for her.

Unfortunately due to the high level of Nekojin in the building, searching for just a cat eared girl became a fruitless endeavor. Just because that always worked on campus didn't mean it would work here. Okay, just focus! What do we know to look for? Rukia's short, dressed in red, and only has her ears exposed.

Luckily, that narrowed down the search. That's right, she was the only Nekojin without her tail on display; or so he hoped. She should be relatively easy to…for the love of God! She was five feet behind him the entire time! His stupidity level seemed to have risen since entering the establishment. Not only that, he really should have seen this coming, she was eyeing the large aquarium with exotic fish.

Ichigo had to hold in his laughter. Rukia watched a particularly colorful fish with only her eyes. Her ears flattened on her head and every so often she tapped at the glass with her fingernails, as if trying to claw her way in. No matter how much she wanted to, she just couldn't turn away. The fish was taunting her!

Ichigo couldn't help but notice the majestic look on her face. Like she was doing something she'd always been forbidden to do. Well, considering her family, he could believe this was the first time she let her animal instincts take over. He wondered what she'd do if he hung a cat toy from her ceiling…

He pushed the incredibly cute thought away and advanced toward her.

"Do I need to put a leash on you…?" Ichigo griped as he approached her. Rukia jumped and spun back around to him. Her ears stood straight up and her face flushed. How embarrassing to be caught like this! Damn you, incredibly attractive fish!

"What? It's a pretty fish!" she defended as he grinned at her. "I was just admiring the…the exotic look of it! It must have been expensive…" she tried to convince him.

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed looking from her to the fish. "I especially liked the little tag team match you two were-"

She punched him in the gut and pulled his face close to hers. "We will never speak of this, ever again!" she hissed at him. He nodded and groaned as she released him. She walked past him and returned to her usual, tough demeanor. Ichigo straightened up and followed after her. Despite his pain, he suddenly had the urge to buy her that cat toy…

* * *

><p>They found a small table that was adorned with various kinds of snacks, not to mention that the first drink were free. Ichigo had thought the price was a little steep but seeing the fancy treatment and high quality furniture that surrounded the place, he began to discover why.<p>

Ichigo still wished Rukia would have let him pay for her, since it was his treat. However, she gave him one of her famous glares. Coupled with the feline ears, it was a fearsome look that would have crippled a lesser man. Rukia paid for herself and returned to her usual, mildly violent self.

"Thirsty?" he nearly shouted to her, the music partially drowning him out. The least he could do was buy the drinks.

"I don't drink." She answered with a devilish smirk; she knew this place was dry but reveled in his annoyance. "I never figured you as the roofie kind of guy. This where you kidnap all your dates…?"

Ichigo sighed, even here her endless banter did not cease. "Soda?" He offered trying to get an answer.

"A coke will do. Chop, chop. I'm parched." She pretended like her throat was dry.

"I'll be right back." He uttered as he departed toward the drink counter.

The instant he was gone, the smile on Rukia's lips faded. She had just willing sent away the only form of comfort that she knew of in case of an emergency. Great job, Rukia! She pursed her lips and slowly moved her head to look around. It didn't seem like that bad of a place. She actually liked the music, the atmosphere made her cautious but strangely relaxed too, and seeing others of her kind cemented the safety…somewhat.

Personally, the only true safety came when Ichigo was around. Rukia finally let a shy smile return to her face. The memory of him taking care of her that fateful night always made her feel at ease. She ran her hand down her legs, remembering how gentle and caring he was when he had bandaged her. At first, she had been amazed that there were no scars from her excruciating fall, whatever he'd used to treat her with had worked wonders.

"Falling asleep on me, Midget?"

Rukia's gaze shot up to see Ichigo set an ice cold drink in front of her before taking a seat. "What do you expect when you make me wait for so long?" she shot back at him. "How long does it take to get a couple of drinks? Jeez, you took your sweet time, didn't you Dandelion?" Her mischievous grin rebounded. The instant return of confidence and safety was apparent but she hoped he didn't notice. He did though.

"Well, you just looked so lost and alone that I thought I'd better speed it up. I could have taken longer to admire the sights…"

A swift kick from under the table shut him up. Rukia wasn't exactly sure why, but him wanting to "admire the sights" pissed her off for some reason. How dare he abandon her to go perusing the club looking for…for…something that involved leaving her alone!

More importantly, why did she care? It's not like she couldn't defend herself, she proven that on several occasions. She was just pissed about that notion that he'd bring her here just to go off and hit on other girls…Wait, that's not what…she didn't care if he…Why wasn't he saying anything!

Seriously, he just sat there and continued to grin at her as she waited for him to react to her kick. Why wasn't he complaining? It was no fun if he didn't complain…

"Speed it up next time…" she forced out, feeling uncomfortable around him for the first time. It was mainly the atmosphere; it was so foreign and seeming hostel to her. She sipped her drink and looked away.

"Whatever," his voice carried no annoyance or distain, only mild amusement. Rukia was about to kick him again to try to get a more satisfying reaction when she heard a familiar tune. It began slow but began to increase in pace. Rukia had missed this so much.

She stared overhead and reveled in the melody. After weeks without her beloved, Joe Inoue's music had returned to her ears. Of course, Ichigo noticed the instant change and stood up. He held out his hand to her.

"Come on, Midget." He urged her. She stared at his hand, unsure of why he was interrupting her beloved music time.

"What? I'm not going anywhere. I wanna listen to the music." She said defiantly.

"You can hear it better on the dance floor."

Rukia became very pale. "No." she said sharply. Ichigo grabbed her hand and pulled her up. "No. No! I do _not_ dance!" Ichigo tugged her toward the dance floor, which was relatively clear.

"I'm not giving you a choice." Ichigo released her hand when they reached the center of the wooden dance floor. Utter terror and embarrassment froze Rukia in place. It felt like everyone was watching her, even if no one really was. It didn't help that Ichigo was looking at her expectedly.

Rukia did the only thing she knew to do, she turned to run. Not walk but actually sprint away as fast as she could. As she turned she felt hands on her shoulder, she didn't have to guess who it was.

Ichigo knew he couldn't let her leave. He knew she loved this song and if he could just get her to dance, even just a little bit, she might relax and even start to enjoy herself. He was quite aware that she was really trying hard to enjoy herself but he also knew that it was for his sake and not hers. He needed her to want to have fun on her own and not because he suggested this.

In fact, the Dandelion was quite surprised when the little Neko didn't rip away from him and knock out a few teeth. Figuring that it was the best idea yet, he began to slowly move her shoulders to the rhythm.

"What are you doing?" Rukia asked defensively. "Helping." He replied enthusiastically.

Rukia really wanted to slap, kick, punch, degrade or just plain beat him but the combination of nervousness, wonderful music and his warm touch held her in place. She wanted to break free and run; get as far away as she could. Then, she noticed what she was doing.

The crazy little midget Nekojin was tapping her foot to the music. That was the beginning of the end, so to speak. She slowly began to sway her hips to the rhythm. It was at that point the song hit the climax and Ichigo let go of her shoulders. Rather than abruptly run, like he had half-expected, Rukia began to sing and lightly let the song twist her movements. It wasn't much; bobbing her head, lightly lifting and dropping her arms, tapping each foot in intervals, her tail tucked away in her pants was twisting and swaying to the beat despite its confinement, even her ears began to move with the rhythm.

She was dancing! It wasn't the greatest set of dance moves ever seen but at that moment, it was perfect to her. Ichigo could only stare at her with an infectious smile. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life…her dancing, that is…at least that's how he justified it.

In the middle of his obvious admiring of her, she stomped on his foot inconspicuously. "Oops, I'm so sorry…" she pretended to apologize as he yelped and bent over a bit. He glared up at her but she only grinned wider. "If I'm gonna embarrass myself, then so are you!" She moved to crush his other foot when he jumped back and bumped into someone.

Both he and the stranger fell and the stranger gave out a particularly girly scream. Ichigo landed on a something very soft. He gazed up to see himself lying on the stomach of an incredibly busty girl with long auburn hair. He instantly jumped up, "Whoa, sorry about that. You okay?" He face burned with embarrassment.

The long haired young lady glanced up at him. "Oh, it's not a problem." She stood up and smiled at him, inadvertently pushing out her large bust. "I'm kind of a klutz." She said tapping herself on the head with her hand.

"You sure you're not hurt?" Ichigo repeated, trying to calm down some.

"Oh, no! I'm just fine. I've got a really hard head!" the busty girl reiterated with a brilliant smile. Ichigo noticed that she was rubbing her hand and he gently grasped it. He gazed at it for a moment before looking back at the young woman's face.

"It looks kind of swollen but it should be fine." He informed her. "We better make sure to be more careful from now on." The busty girl blushed a bit and nodded affectionately.

Rukia stood and watched the whole exchange, her face not betraying her emotions. Ichigo stood there, making googly-eyes with a girl that was twice her size and three times her bust. What's worse, she'd made it happen! At least it didn't seem that he was too interested in her…until he took her hand and leaned closer to her! Rukia's blood boiled. What was he doing!

Now she had to stop his. She walked right up to Ichigo and slapped him on the back, hard.

He cried out and let go of the new girl's hand. "What hell was that for!" he shouted at Rukia, instantly knowing it was her that slapped him. No one else dared hit him like that.

"For attacking this poor defenseless girl, you rapist!" Rukia screamed in his face. Before Ichigo could respond, she turned to the woman and smiled overly sweetly. "Forgive him, he's always like this. He's so incompetent…"

The long haired busty girl waved her hands in front of her face. "No, no. It's fine. It was only an accident after all…" Rukia hated her innocent girly routine and scowled.

"Yeah, I'm sure it was. I bet you enjoyed having him fall all over you…" her tone was menacing and frustrated. She kind of surprised herself with her offensive comment; it certainly wasn't like her to act like this towards a stranger.

"It _was_ an accident…" Ichigo groaned out while glaring at Rukia, which she returned in full force.

"Are you sure you weren't just trying to cop a feel, you creeper?" her voice had none of the usual playful tones; she was being far too serious about all this.

"What are you insinuating, huh Midget! I wasn't trying to do anything! Besides, it was your violent outburst that made me fall back into this nice girl-"

"_My _violent outburst! You were the one who dragged me here and force me to dance with you-"

"I did not force you here and you were enjoying it up until now!" he retorted, stopping her midsentence. "What's wrong with you Rukia? Why are you acting like this?"

Rukia's face wrinkled and she turned away shouting, "I'm not acting like anything! Have fun with your new friend! Obviously, I'm just in the way here!" she stormed off, leaving Ichigo utterly confused.

All he'd done was help the other girl up off the ground and make sure she was okay…Wait. Could it be…? Was Rukia…jealous? No, no way! Not in a thousand years. Rukia would never let something so tiny and trivial affect her like this…would she? It's not like she had any real interest in him anyway so why would she get so flustered about something so trivial. Then again, Rukia was a girl—A crazy, tomboyish, midget, Nekojin girl but a girl nonetheless. The stress of this place must have finally gotten to her, that must have been it. He'd pushed her too far…

The long haired busty girl tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Shouldn't you go after her. She seems really upset." The look of concern in the girl's eyes was evident and she had a very good point.

Why _was_ he still standing here and not going after her!

"Sorry, again!" Ichigo shouted to the long haired girl as he bolted after Rukia, leaving the young woman smiling at him. "Young love…" she whispered as he took off.

* * *

><p>Rukia pushed through the crowd of people in the club, trying to get back to her seat. She was so frustrated she couldn't think straight. How dare he make a move on some other girl right in front of her! No, stop! Why should it matter if he showed interest in other girls? It's not like she felt <em>that<em> way about him anyway. She just was shocked that he was so concerned about the girl that made her look like she had the body of a child. Damn large breasted women!

Secretly, Rukia felt inadequate next to most women. Her breasts were small, she was short, and she didn't even act like a girl most of the time! She never told anyone but she was incredibly jealous of women like the one Ichigo had stumbled into. Rukia always hid her insecurities about her bust size pretty well but seeing Ichigo ogling a girl with tits the size of his head just struck a nerve with her. All she wanted now was to get her things and just leave, without Ichigo. He could stay and flirt with his new, long haired, huge-breasted friend all night for all she cared. But if that was true…why did it hurt so much for her to see him with that other girl, even if it was only an accident?

As she tried to rid herself of those thoughts, a hand caught her. Damn, Ichigo. He just couldn't let things go could he? She was scrunched between several people and couldn't look back at him. Unexpectedly, she felt another hand on her lower back. She arched her back a bit in surprise. Then the hand moved down and slowly slipped into her pants and nestled on her hidden tail. She jumped and tried to twist out of the grasp but couldn't move in the crowd of bodies.

The hand in her pants jerked on her tail a bit. It was then that Rukia came to an important revelation. This definitely was NOT Ichigo! No way would he be so forward, especially not with her! Also, she knew he'd never do something like pull on her tail like that…he just wasn't like that! Whoever this was, they'd just signed their own death warrant! Unfortunately, because of the tight space, Rukia couldn't turn well enough to see or attack her offender.

A husky voice whispered to her, "You know you want it…" Now she was certain it wasn't Ichigo! Rukia's anger bubbled up. She felt the hand slip further down and actually grasp her tail firmly in one hand. Rukia shrieked but no one seemed to find it out of the ordinary, they were too busy partying. She struggled and eventually wiggled until one of her arms was free. She twisted her body and took a desperate shot at her attacker.

She smiled as she felt her fist hit bone. The hands disappeared from her body and she whirled around to see a man dressed in a disheveled suit, obviously intoxicated, lying on the floor behind her. He must have either brought his own liquor or came here drunk and was stumbling around, since the place didn't sell alcohol. She was about to continue the beating when three very large bouncers surrounded her.

"Miss, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave." The tallest one said, while the two shorter but equally intimidating ones grabbed her by the arms.

"But he was the one who…"

"No excuses miss. Please, just vacate the establishment." His gruff voice carried an obvious threat.

Rukia could only sigh in defeat. No use arguing with these idiots. How come every time she defended herself, she was one to be blamed! Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, she saw a flash of orange. Oh, dear God…

The tallest bouncer was on the ground in front of her, Ichigo standing over him, looking infinitely pissed. He glanced over to Rukia and noted the irritation in her eyes. He suddenly felt like he'd done an extremely foolish thing. Okay, so maybe decking security wasn't the best idea but his protective tendencies demanded it of him!

However, he was infinitely aware that Rukia would call that bullshit and crush his limbs for being so impulsive. "What the hell is wrong with you, Ichigo!" He shrunk in size at her shouting. "These guys are security! Are you _trying_ to cause me more trouble! God, you can be so irresponsible, you know that!" Ichigo felt a sharp pain in his chest at her words.

All he wanted to do was show her a fun time. Show her that there was more than just lying on the grass or sitting in her room. How had he screwed up so epically tonight? Maybe this place hadn't been such a good idea after all. He hung his head and muttered, "Sorry."

Rukia shuddered. She hadn't meant it like that; she was still reeling after seeing him with that bimbo earlier. She was lashing out in anger and her temper had gotten the best of her. The only problem now was that she was too embarrassed to apologize for her irrational behavior. She knew she needed a minute to compose herself before speaking to him again. But that would have to wait because the bouncers still held her firmly in place.

As Ichigo sulked, the tall bouncer who he'd decked had snuck up behind him. The man surprised Ichigo and slammed him into the ground with his hands behind his back. "Ichigo!" Rukia shouted as his face hit the wooden floor. Things were looking pretty grim, at least until a commanding voice echoed.

"Is there a problem here?"

Ichigo and Rukia turned to see a young man with dark hair and round-framed glasses who was dressed in a white suit. He walked up to the bouncers as the one holding Ichigo slowly pulled him up off the ground, his arms held fast.

"Mr. Ishida. There's no need to trouble you with this." The tallest one said as he tilted his head toward the door, indicating the other bouncers to follow him. Before they were able to move, the young man, Ishida, stopped them again.

"Wait." The bouncers looked to him as he approached Ichigo and looked him in the eye. "If I may ask, why did you attack my associate?" he indicated the bouncer.

"It was an accident." Ichigo said plainly, a hint of defiance in his eyes.

"An accident?" Ishida repeated in interest. He nodded to the bouncer, who released Ichigo. "How so?"

Ichigo straightened up and replied, "I thought he was attacking my friend, Rukia." He pointed to his Nekojin friend. "I made a mistake…" he said again before falling silent. Ishida looked to the small Nekojin and looked her up and down. Again, he nodded to the bouncers, who instantly released her.

"Miss," Ishida addressed Rukia, "I heard your scream and was on my way to investigate when I noticed my associates…detaining you. What caused you to scream like that?"

Although Rukia didn't like his attitude or the way she'd been treated, she humored him. She pointed to the injured, intoxicated man that had groped her. "The bastard got fresh with me so I screamed and knocked his lights out." She said nonchalantly. Ichigo looked to the unconscious guy and grimaced. The bastard would be lucky if he was only missing a few teeth!

Ishida glanced at the drunken man, snapped his fingers and let the bouncers take him away. "It seems that my associates caused you undo harm. I do apologize." Ishida said, bowing to them. They stood stiff, not looking at each other and barely paying attention to him. "Please, allow me to make it up to you." He took a card from his coat pocket and handed it to Rukia. She glanced at it and gasped, Ichigo followed suit. The card read:

**Uryu Ishida  
>Quincy's Paradise Club<br>Owner/Founder**

This guy was the owner of the club! Rukia immediately stood with perfect posture and bowed to him while Ichigo stood completely shocked. She grabbed Ichigo by the collar and pulled him into a bow as well.

"We're very sorry for the trouble we caused." She glared at Ichigo with intense embarrassment. "Isn't that right?" she demanded an apology from him too. Ichigo sighed and choked out, "Sorry about this."

Ishida laughed and said, "I think you have it backwards." They straightened up and gazed at the owner. "I'm sorry that something so unfortunate happened to you while in my establishment. On top of that, it was the fault of my associates that obviously ruined your good time." Rukia could have sworn he winked at them but he continued nonetheless. "If there is anything I can do to make it up to you, don't hesitate to let me know."

Ichigo and Rukia didn't have time to respond when the long haired, busty girl from before suddenly appeared next to Ishida. "Uryu!" she shouted at him, giving him a peck on the lips. "That was so cool! I love it when you get all manly and stuff!"

The couple stood flabbergasted as the long haired woman wrapper her arm seductively around the owner's. After an awkward silence, Rukia was the first to speak.

"So…you two are…?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?" the busty woman said extending her hand to them. "My name is Orihime and this strapping gentleman is my husband Uryu. He owns this place. Isn't it great!" Rukia slowly shook the woman's hand, cautiously. Wait, did she say husband?

Even at a time like this, Rukia knew not to let her manners slip. "I'm Rukia Kuchiki, nice to meet you." She glared at Ichigo who made no move to introduce himself, "The waste of space next to me is Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo was about to protest when Ishida spoke up.

"You two must be students at Tokyo U, am I right?" He was being awfully polite.

Rukia didn't have time to respond before Orihime grasped her hand. "I'm so sorry for all the trouble I caused." She said ignoring her husband's question. "If I'd known you two were an item, I'd have apologized sooner." Ichigo blushed but said nothing while Rukia was still processing the words. Her words were kind and heartfelt. They pierced Rukia's soul and she felt utter guilt for her words earlier.

"No, really. It's alright…" She expressed before her cheeks reddened. "Wait! We're not an item!" she tried to assure them. Her blatant rejection made Ichigo scowl but she didn't notice.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Orihime apologized again. "I just figured that since you were together and since you got so upset with me earlier…" Ishida tapped Orihime on the head.

"Orihime, I think that's enough." The white suited man noticed the uncomfortable feeling in both of them and decided to step in.

"Right," the busty girl agreed. "Sorry for rambling. I just wanted you to know that I wasn't trying to steal your man from you!" she reiterated loudly. Ishida face-palmed and Ichigo looked away. Rukia stood in owe of the woman before her. Maybe she'd misjudged her; maybe the sweet and innocent act wasn't an act at all. Maybe she really was just a nice person who happened to have a body Rukia would kill to have.

Rukia sighed to herself. That's just great. She had been jealous of a married woman who she _thought_ was trying to steal Ichigo from her…wait, what! She was _not_ worried about someone taking Ichigo from her! There was nothing to take, was there? She didn't even think about him like that, did she…? Rukia's head was muddled and all this excitement was getting to her. She shook her head and glanced toward a table with various kinds of snacks on it.

"I think I need to get some air. Sorry for the trouble." She quickly retreated from the crowd.

"Hey! Rukia, wait!" Ichigo called after her before Ishida placed a hand on his shoulder. Ichigo glanced back at him.

"I would still like to make this little accident up to you and your friend. Please let me know if I can be of help in the future." He handed Ichigo another of his cards, which Ichigo deposited in his pocket.

Ichigo could tell his words were sincere. All the rumors about the owner being such a fair and nice guy must have been true; it was obvious in how he carried himself. Ichigo nodded and Ishida released him. As Ichigo ran off after his Nekojin friend, Ishida glanced to his wife and said, "They remind me of us not so long ago…"

Orihime giggled and snuggled his arm, "Isn't young love great…?" she answered him with a smile.

* * *

><p>Rukia stormed up to the snack table, unsure of what she should do. She was just so embarrassed at this point that she just wanted to hid under a huge, body size beanie! She hung her head and inhaled a strangely intoxicating aroma. She looked up to see the scent coming from a bright yellow bowl with little cracker-like snacks within. She picked one up and took another whiff.<p>

Her senses tingled as she inhaled and she felt a strange sensation come over her. Without thinking she popped the cracker in her mouth. The moment it hit her tongue, all her senses came alive and blasted in full force. Hearing, smell, sight, touch, everything became heightened. She glanced down at the irresistible yellow bowl and even though she knew she shouldn't, she grabbed a handful of the strange crackers.

* * *

><p>Ichigo chased after Rukia but quickly lost sight of her again. He made his way to the snack table, thinking that was the last place he'd seen her. She was nowhere to be seen. Exhausted from the excitement, he plopped down in a chair next to the table to take a breather.<p>

He needed to find her and fast. Things were already bad enough without losing sight of her again. He still needed to apologize. After that, he'd just get her home and hope she forgave him; it was all he could do at this point. He was about to get back up and resume his search when he felt a hand grip his pants. His eyes panned over to see Rukia, kneeling beside him, her tail fully exposed and wagging.

The image of her grinning up at him with her ears and tail enticing him would be the subject of his dreams for months to come. If that wasn't shocking enough, her nails was digging into his leg and she glanced up at him with wooziness in her eyes.

"Rukia?" he asked, not sure if it was really her. She didn't respond. She slowly climbed up and sat on his leg, her crotch nestled on his knee. Ichigo blushed and gasped as she grabbed his chest and pulled her face into it. She inhaled deeply and _giggled_.

She glanced up at Ichigo, a seductive smirk on her pink lips. "Ichigo," her voice was musky and sweet. "Did I ever tell you that you smell…intoxicating?" Ichigo's eyes widened.

"No…" he whispered, not sure what was going on or what to do.

She giggled at him and pulled herself down his leg and closer to his abdomen. As she did, she continued to gaze into his soul. "Reeeeeally? It's smells _so_ gooood. Are you sure I didn't tell yoooou?"

"I think I would remember something like that happening…" he couldn't raise his voice to her no matter how hard he tried. Rukia pulled herself so close that her breasts rested against his chest and he had to fight not to jump. She gripped him with both hands and dug in her nails.

"You're just so…cuddly!" she said as she giggled once again and pressed up against him. She began rubbing her head against his chest, her ears flattened into her hair. A loud purring erupted from her as she continued to grind herself against him. Ichigo sat in shock, unable to understand what had happened.

She stopped suddenly and glared at him. "Pet me." She demanded with a seductive aura around her.

"What!" Ichigo had to keep himself from screaming. Rukia dug her nails in deeper and rubbed her head against his chin several time for emphasis.

"Scratch my ears!" she proclaimed as she continued to rub her head and ears against his chin shoulder and chest. Ichigo found his hands instantly fondling her fluffy ears for the second time in his life. They were just as soft and cuddly as before, only this time she didn't shirk away from him at all. Rukia continued to purr and grind her body against his.

Ichigo was dreaming. This had to be a dream, no way was this real. Rukia. His best friend, the girl who had save him from depression, the young lady that snaked her way into his life and turned it upside down in the most positive way; was purring and grinding in his lap! What the hell was wrong with her? Not that he didn't like the attention, oh how he enjoyed the fluffiness… But something was definitely wrong with this picture. Five minutes ago, Rukia was ready to take his head off, now she was acting like a cat high on catnip.

Was she drunk or something? How could that be? He knew this was a dry establishment, so what was causing her to act like a loopy kitty? Ichigo glanced at the table and noticed the bright yellow bowl Rukia had dug into earlier. It was overturned and the remnants scattered everywhere. He noticed a note on the bowl and his jaw fell as he read it:

**Caution – Specially blended catnip crackers. Use with caution. **

He was right! She was hyped up on catnip! This was bad, really bad. How much catnip crackers had she eaten to act like an alcoholic drunk! The bowl was overturned and damn near empty. Had she eaten all of those? No wonder she was so frisky!

Suddenly, a set of teeth sank into his shoulder. The crazy midget had bitten him! He had stopped petting her a bit ago and Rukia was tired of him ignoring her, so she decided to take matters into her own hands. She pulled back and glared at him. "Why won't you pay attention to meeee?" She whined. Her voice was as serious as usual despite her strange vocal pattern. As soon as the words left her mouth she, her eyes grew heavy.

The drug began to do its work in full swing and she was overcome with tiredness. She began to slip off his leg. He instinctively caught her and rested her head against his chest. Her eyes fluttered open and closed. She was actively trying to stay awake.

She glanced up at him with her seductive smile still in place. "I'm so sleepyyyy. Are you sure didn't roofie me, Daaaandeliiiiion?"

Ichigo blushed and avoided eye contact. "D-Don't be stupid. I'd never do something like that!" he protested as she snuggled closer to his chest. The seductive smile on her face faded and was replaced by one of complete happiness, warmth and joy.

"I know," she whispered. "You're too wonderful to do that…"

And with that, her world went dark. Leaving Ichigo with a cuddly little kitty snuggly asleep in his arms.

* * *

><p>Ichigo grunted as he carried his unconscious friend on his back toward his apartment. Rukia was in a deep slumber and no matter how hard he tried, she didn't wake up. He grabbed their things, slung the Nekojin onto his back and began the long walk home.<p>

Along the way, he felt her body vibrate against his own as she happily purred away in her sleep. He smiled to himself at the sensation. He wrapped her up in his coat and had her nestled into his back as comfortably as he could.

He considered taking her back to her dorm but he really didn't want to explain to Yoruichi about what had happened. It was already 2 AM and he really wasn't in the mood to explain anything at this point. He returned to his apartment with the extra baggage and once again placed her in his bed.

He knew that all hell was gonna break loose tomorrow, so he decided to get some sleep. Before he left the room he glanced down at his purring friend. He knelt beside her and lightly ran his hand over her ears, making her purr even louder. The peaceful look on her face was all he really needed.

He frowned to himself. How long could he keep convincing himself that he saw her only as a friend? That if her happiness lay with someone else, he would be okay with that. The more he gently ran his hand over her fluffy ears, the more he doubted that notion. She was quickly becoming his happiness…

He gave her one final petting before getting up and exiting the room. "Sweet dreams, Rukia." He whispered as he turned out the light. He made his way to the couch and plopped down. Staring up at the ceiling he recounted the events of that long night. In the end, he smiled to himself.

Even if the night had gone awry and he'd totally messed this up…at least she was safe with him there to protect her.

No matter what fate awaited him in the morning…at least it wasn't raining.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Just how long will it take for them to realize they both have feelings for each other! I'll never tell…

Also, side note; Uryu and Orihime are much older than Ichigo and Rukia. Just in case anyone was wondering.

Please Review and thanks for reading. Keep on smiling!


	15. Losing You

We're The Same

Chapter 14: Losing You

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Rukia wished she had been drunk, at least then she would have an excuse. When you drink you often forget the embarrassing things that happen to you to cope with the situation. However, when Rukia awoke, once again in Ichigo's bed, all of the embarrassing and confusing memories flooded in and disrupt her sleep.<p>

Catnip was not like alcohol; it brought out one's inner urges and desires that were normally suppressed. Rukia had never encountered catnip before. In fact, she made it a rule to stay away from it entirely. She had heard that even a small amount was enough to make even the most respectable Nekojin act like a horny little kitty.

The aroma that surrounded her had once put her in a state of bliss but now it only served to retrieve the memories of her groping and grinding on her best friend's muscular body. She hated how his scent upset her so much now, mainly because she remembered every little detail of the event.

After devouring nearly the entire bowl of special crackers, she had seen him coming and hid under the table. When she heard him sit and sigh, she slunk out from under the oak and proceeded to let loose her animal instincts. Seriously, she'd been acting like a bitch in heat! As with most other problems she had, she immediately shifted her mind from the bubbling feelings welling up inside her and began to blame everyone and everything for her behavior.

She blamed that club and its alluring atmosphere, she cast blame on the "special" crackers that were more addictive than Crack, but most of all, she blamed Ichigo for putting her in that situation. She knew it wasn't rational but all rationality was absent from her mind at the moment.

Why did he have to drag her to that disgusting place anyway? It was like he was committed to putting her in dangerous situations just so he could play the hero! Was that it? Did he just enjoy using her as a means to build up his ego? No! No…he'd never do that…or so she wanted to believe. Unfortunately, there was a lot of evidence to the contrary.

No matter how much she wanted to deny it, seeing him around other girls put her in an unpleasant mood. She had a subconscious fear that if he got close to another girl…he'd abandon her like so many others had. This fear drove her to talk down to married woman that accidently bumped into him and that was completely inexcusable.

Apart from that, Ichigo had been acting weird lately, like he was possessed or something. He was suggesting things that she thought he would despise himself. Maybe she just didn't know him as well as she thought. That thought caused her to frown. She thought he was easy to figure out but maybe there was a wild side to him that she'd never seen.

She didn't like it.

If he really did have such a wild streak, she wasn't sure how much of it she could handle. It's not like she didn't want to try new things, she just wasn't comfortable about how he constantly pushed her into it. Some things she really enjoyed, like the music store they visited, but the club was a stretch and a chance she took purely because she wanted to be around him.

She frowned as she pulled herself out of his bed and headed for the door. Along the way she was consumed by a single thought; where was the Ichigo that she respected and admired so much…the one that was always there for her and took care of her when she needed a shoulder to cry on? The one who willingly threw himself into danger just to spend a little more time with her?

The Ichigo that she found herself unmistakably falling in love with?

* * *

><p>Ichigo awoke to the sound of loud footsteps. He jumped up to see Rukia, still dressed in her clothes from last night, heading for his door. Luckily, he had slept in his clothes as well so he could easily jump up and chase after her.<p>

"Rukia!" he called out to her but she didn't stop. She reached the door and began furiously pulling on her shoes and coat. "Hey! Rukia stop!" He put his hand on her shoulder and she immediately threw it off and continued.

"I need to go." She proclaimed as she pulled her shoes on. She reached for the door but Ichigo stood in front of her, concern plastered on his face.

"Just hold on a second, will ya?"

Rukia glared up at him. She really didn't want to deal with this right now. She just wanted to go home, shower and try to erase her memory of last night. "Move." She demanded but he remained still. "I said, move!" She tried to push him out of the way but he grabbed her arm.

"What's the matter, Rukia?" she ripped her hand away and turned from him. "What are you so pissed about?" Her temper flared and she turned around and punched him hard in the gut. He fell to the floor holding his stomach. That was a whole new kind of punch; he could feel the rage inside it. He glanced up to see Rukia practically snarling at him.

"What am I so pissed about! I'm pissed at you, ya asshole!" She screamed at him. Ichigo felt confusion encompass him and he lost the strength to stand. "Why did you drag me to that stupid club last night! I told you it wasn't my thing but you pressured me into it anyway! What the hell were you trying to do!"

"I wasn't trying to do anything! I just wanted to go out and have a good time!" he shouted back from the floor.

"Then why the hell did you bring me! If you wanted to go do some crazy partying crap then why did you drag me along! Did you just want to make me miserable!" she fired back as he slowly stood up.

"Of course not!" he shouted, silencing her. He hesitated, trying to find the words. "I figured it'd be fun to do something other than lay on the grass and beat the crap out of each other, that's all."

Rukia struggled to understand the meaning behind his words. By her understanding, he'd just told her that the activities that made her the happiest in the world weren't enough for him. Her breath caught in her throat. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Was _he _not happy with how their friendship was? After all, it was the basis of their friendship. He complained, she hit him, they argued, she won the fight, they smiled and felt complete. Was she the only one that felt that way?

Was that why he was trying to get them to do other things? Guilt was all she could comprehend. All this time, she thought they little "fights" were fun and entertaining for both of them but now…

Was he just putting up with her because he pitied her? Was his kindness towards her only because he felt she needed to be saved? She didn't want that…Not only for herself but for him. It wasn't fair to tie him down to her because of a sense of duty he felt he needed to uphold. She wanted to ask him, confirm with him, that she wasn't someone he tolerated out of pity. However, her voice was lost in the deep recesses of her heart as it began to close itself off from the world yet again.

She mustered up as much frustration as she could and said; "If you don't like how I do things then just stay away from me!" she pushed him aside and ran out the door, holding back tears.

For a second, Ichigo let the despair take hold. Had she really been so uncomfortable there? Yeah, the end of the night was kind of…weird but he thought she had at least enjoyed herself a little. If he'd of known she'd react like this…

He'd only meant that he wanted to explore the world and experience new and exciting things…with her. It truly didn't matter what they did, as long as she was there with him, his world was complete. If he spent every day just lying in the grass with her head on his stomach and her little ears and tail dancing in delight, he'd still feel fulfilled.

Without thinking he pulled his shoes on and chased after her.

* * *

><p>Ichigo barely caught up to Rukia outside her dorm.<p>

"Rukia! Wait!" he'd been calling out to her ever since he'd spotted her several blocks ahead. The first time she glanced back before continuing to sprint home. She hadn't looked back at him since then.

But now, in front of her building, she finally stopped to get air. Breathing heavily, she heard him approach from behind, calling to her. Each concerned tone of his voice stabbed at her heart, she couldn't stand to be pitied; especially by the man she cared about more than anything else in her life.

"What!" she yelled, not looking back at him.

"I'm sorry, alright? I'm sorry about what happened last night…" he began.

"You're sorry!" she shouted back, "Do you realize how embarrassing it was for me!" She stopped to take a deep breath. "Can you understand what it's like to lose control of yourself like that! To let my emotions and animal instincts drive me to…to…" she trailed off and he couldn't hear what she was whispering.

Her ears flattened on her head and her tail was drooping, she hadn't bothered to cover them. All she wanted was to just escape her guilt and even her own feelings.

"Rukia, its okay…" Ichigo put a hand on her shoulder only for her to jump away from his touch.

She shot her infamous glare at him, a warning that he needed to shut up. Her face was hard and her eyes cold, a look Ichigo hoped to never see again. "No, Ichigo, it's not okay." She replied sternly, not breaking eye contact. "It's pathetic that I let myself sink to such a low and in public no less. As a Kuchiki, I need to learn to control myself…"

There she went about the Kuchiki thing again, making Ichigo's blood boil. "So you made a little mistake, everyone makes mistakes," he pointed out. "It's not the end of the world."

"A Kuchiki doesn't make mistakes," she informed him. "It's shameful."

Ichigo was losing the battle and he needed to gain some ground. He sighed and said, "That doesn't mean you need to beat yourself up over it. It was my bad about the club thing. It was a stupid idea and I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it."

He smiled at her, the warm and sunlit smile she loved so much. "I swear I wasn't trying to embarrass or upset you. That wasn't what I was intending. I just wanted to help you…"

Rukia's entire body stiffened and she hung her head. "Help me? You just wanted to _help_ me?" she repeated. Before he could respond, she thrust her head up at him and screamed, "I don't need your help! I'm tired of you always thinking you need to _help_ me! I can take care of myself just fine on my own!"

She stormed up to the door of the dorm and grabbed the handle, leaving him perplexed. Before she went inside, she twisted her head back at him. "I don't need your pity!" she yelled as she slammed the door.

Ichigo just stood there, unable to understand how he'd managed to screw this whole thing up so royally.

* * *

><p>For the next three days Rukia did nothing but ridicule herself about how foolish she had been.<p>

It was so obvious. She was in love with Ichigo…but he didn't love her. He was her friend and nothing more. He was the kind of guy you could depend on and hang with but it ended there. He was a great guy that any girl would kill to be with, despite his awkwardness. He was way too good for her anyway.

He deserved a nice girl that would always be there for _him_, someone that could take all his pain away and make him feel truly alive. She was sure that it wasn't her. All she knew how to do was beat on him, insult him, and make his life a living hell. How selfish of her to think that he would actually consider liking her! She was more of a burden than anything. Because of her, he'd gotten into several fights, threatened a teacher, and had to take care of her when she got herself hurt.

All she could see herself as was a burden to him—someone to take care of but not really love. How could any man love a crazy, violent, midget, Nekojin girl? He didn't deserve to have to deal with all the problems that came with her, no one did.

So, no matter how much she knew she loved him…it was time to let him go.

* * *

><p>Three days…<p>

It had been three whole days since Ichigo had been able to contact Rukia. She didn't reply to his texts, didn't answer when he called, he even got Yoruichi to let him back into the dorm just pound on her door. But she continued to ignore him. He didn't know what to do with himself.

As he paced around in a circle in his apartment, he spent a lot of time thinking about…well, everything but it all confused him. He knew he liked her, more than a friend but just how important was she to him? It didn't help that it had been raining for the last three days either, today being no exception. Rain was never good for a Kurosaki.

Sadly, the rain was not only outside, but in his heart. He realized he'd messed up with the club thing and that she was embarrassed about the catnip incident. Yoruichi had to explain to him that catnip wasn't like getting intoxicated, since you remember everything that occurred during the event. It was more like getting high on a plant that has no adverse affects on the body. It truly was Crack for the Nekojin.

Yoruichi also wasn't happy about Rukia's sudden depression and demanded that Ichigo fix it or else! Not that he didn't want to he just didn't know how.

Ichigo completely understood why Rukia was upset but why did she think he pitied her? If anything, he was to be pitied. He always let her beat on him and insult him constantly, where was the pity? Was it because he went out of his way to help her? That wasn't pity that was…

He suddenly stopped pacing. What was it then? If he didn't pity her, why did he go so far just to help her? He knew it went beyond this moral code that his mother had taught him. He plopped down the couch and let his head rest in his hands. The only thoughts that came to him…were of Rukia. He thought about her smile, her tough and badass attitude, her cuddly ears and tail, her intoxicating laugh…If the answer was a brick it would have crushed his head.

No matter how much he wanted to deny it. No matter how selfish he thought he was for thinking it. No matter how much he wished he'd figured it out sooner. All the evidence pointed to one irrefutable fact…

Ichigo Kurosaki was in love…with Rukia Kuchiki.

What the hell was he doing here then! He jumped up, grabbed his coat and shoes and sped toward the door.

* * *

><p>Rukia stood outside Ichigo's door with a plastic bag in hand. She was dressed in a heavy rain coat that went down to her knees, the hood of the coat shielding her heritage. She still didn't have an umbrella, ever since she'd lost her first one.<p>

She had braved the rain for one reason; inside the plastic bag was his hoodie. The one she slept in every night to help her sleep; only recently it was less affective. It only brought her pain whenever she inhaled his scent now, the embarrassing thoughts of her actions revisiting her.

Not only that but it was a reminder of her own feelings. She knew she cared for him more than anything else in the world; she was in love, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. What hurt the most was that she knew he didn't feel the same. Sure, he cared about her but it was only out of pity for the little Neko girl that was having such a hard time.

He wanted her to get stronger and feel better about herself because she was so pitiable. He didn't see her for who she was; to him she was just a simple Neko that needed help. It was his protective nature not his heart that made him care about her so much. That thought hurt her more each time she smelled the scent on the shirt.

That's why Rukia decided to give it back and hopefully start over with him. Even if he didn't love her, it was enough that he wanted to be around her. It was hard for her to be here, mainly because she realized how much of a bitch she was to him the other day. Despite everything else, he really did want to help her and that was admirable but not enough to make her feel comfortable around him right now. All she wanted to do was run and be alone; alone in the dark world she knew awaited her.

She was stupid to think he might actually feel the same way about her…

Just then the door swung open and Ichigo, dressed for the weather, crashed into her; obviously he was in a hurry. Ichigo easily regained his balance and caught her hand before she fell, pulling them both up. When he saw that it was Rukia, his heart leapt. She was here! The girl he finally realized how much he cared for was right outside his door! Wait, what was she holding?

Rukia stared awkwardly at him as he held her hand, for a moment she reveled in the warmth but shook her head. She pulled back her hand, much to the dismay of them both, and thrust the bag at him.

"Here," She said, "You can have this back." Ichigo glared at the bag then back to her. The moment his eyes connected with her, a grave fear rose up inside her. "I'm just here to return this. Bye!" She spun around and took off down the street. She had been right, seeing him was too hard for her right now. She heard him calling to her but she ignored the man.

Ichigo saw her turn and dropped the bag. "Rukia, wait! I need to tell you something!" he shouted as he gave chase. He couldn't wait any more. He didn't care if she turned him down or stopped talking to him; he just needed to tell her how he felt! No matter what else happened, he needed her to know that he loved her with all his heart.

He loved her for being Rukia, not out of pity, not because she was a Nekojin, but because _she_ was the only thing that stopped the rain in his world.

* * *

><p>Rukia continued to run without looking where she was going. She knew Ichigo was close behind her and she just couldn't face him right now. The pity was too much to handle, it just hurt too much. It hurt not being accepted because of her heritage, it hurt because she wasn't a person in the eyes of her own family, and most off all, it hurt not to be loved in return.<p>

She knew that she wasn't the most attractive of women. She was short, her breasts were small, and she had a violent temper and a constant bad attitude. Not to mention she was Nekojin. How could she believe that a human would fall in love with her? The pain of her realization hurt so much...so much that she didn't think twice before running into the street.

She heard a loud honking and turned to see a large truck speeding toward her. It was too late; she had no time to move…

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Cliffhanger. I have said all I need to say.

Please Review and thanks for reading.


	16. Loving You

We're The Same

Chapter 15: Loving You

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author Note: A big thank you to everyone that reviewed! If I didn't send a private message, due to lack of time or reviewers that don't have accounts, I want to let you all know that each review brightens my day, encourages me to continue writing and it very much appreciated! Thanks everybody! XD

* * *

><p>The rain always came pouring down. It always took away the people Ichigo cared about the most. It always mocked him just by existing. Today was the day that Ichigo forced the rain to back down.<p>

The moment Ichigo saw the truck heading right for Rukia, his body reacted. He pushed his body to its limit and moved as fast as he could. Seconds before the truck was about to trample her, he reached out and grabbed her with both arms and pulled her back. They both toppled to the ground as the truck sped past, not bothering to stop. Rukia lay on his chest, heaving of air.

Ichigo had to double check everything. He pulled back the hood on her coat, her ears popping out to greet him, earning a small smile from him. He made sure they had landed on the sidewalk and he touched her face with his hands. She was still warm, she was still alive! He let his head fall back and he began to let his breathing catch up to him. He heaved air into his lungs and let his arms wrap around her, holding her securely in his arms.

He glanced up at the dark clouds that continued to drizzle water onto his face and he produced a smile that was brighter than any sun in the sky.

Take that rain!

* * *

><p>Rukia was unsure of what was happening. One moment her life flashed before her eyes, the next she was laying on top of Ichigo on the wet sidewalk. She barely remembered him pulling her out of the way of the truck. She felt him pull back her hood and grasp her face with his soothing hands. Then, she felt him wrap his arms about her and pull her closer to his chest.<p>

Her face burned with a blush and she tried to push herself up but he pulled her back down. She tried again and again to push away but he held her firmly against him.

"I'm not letting you go. Give it up Midget." He said to her as she continued to try and break free. No matter how flattered she was by his bravery and show of affection, she still wanted him to let her go. Despite saving her, she still wasn't ready to face him. She started punching him in the chest but he didn't even flinch.

"Let go of me, Dandelion!" she demanded. She continued to pound on his chest but he held her tightly, not letting his grip slip for a moment.

"I can't do that. I can't let you run away from me. Not now." He said calmly as she beat on him. Rukia's temper began to resurface and she struggled harder to get free, kicking her legs and squirming around. Ichigo used his legs to hold down her own and pulled her tighter to his chest.

"Dammit Ichigo!" she shouted still trying to free herself. "Just let me go!" she thrashed a little more before slowly beginning to calm down. "It's better if I just go. You don't need someone like me around anyway." All of her struggles ceased aside from her tiny fist lightly coming down on his chest. "You don't deserve to have to deal with a pathetic, violent, Neko-bitch like me—"

"Don't you ever say that again!" he suddenly shouted, surprising her. For the first time since they'd fallen she looked at him. Tears welled up in his eyes as he smiled his warmest smile for her. "Don't you ever say something like that ever again, you hear me?" He repeated. He let one of his hands rest on her head and gently set her face down on his chest. Rukia's struggles ceased completely and she stiffened under his touch, her head pressed into him.

Despite the pounding of the rain, she could hear his heart beating. It was settling down after his daring rescue and she had no doubt that hers beating as furiously too. For a few minutes they lay there, the rain still coming down on them, though neither cared at this point. Rukia could have stayed there forever; it was the second time he'd ever hugged her. Despite the flurry of beatings they delivered upon one another, they didn't really have much of any physical contact before this point, aside from the petting that is.

While getting lost in her thoughts, she heard his voice clear as day. "This whole thing's been really confusing. You were confused, I was confused, we both didn't know what to make of all this." She hung on every word. "But I'm not confused anymore. I know what I want now. I know I should have realized it sooner but you know how I tend to go off on a—"

"Get to the point, Ichigo." Rukia demanded. Ichigo did not miss the playful tone in her voice though. He placed his hands on her face and lifted her up to gaze into his amber eyes. In turn, he found himself getting lost in her beautiful violet orbs.

"I want to wake up every day to you there beside me. I want to hold you as you fall asleep. I want to be there for you, now and forever. Without you, the rain never ends, and my world is incomplete." His smiled widened and he rubbed her ears with one hand. "But when your with me…I'm the happiest person alive…and my life is complete. You are my world, Rukia Kuchiki."

Rukia's eyes widened as she soaked up each word. Ichigo gazed into her perplexed eyes but couldn't read them. "I know you probably don't feel the same but-"

Rukia slowly lifted herself up off his chest and stared at him with a blank expression. Ichigo sighed, thinking she didn't reciprocate his feelings. That's when he felt it. Rukia lifted her foot and kicked him hard in the shin. The moment he cried out, Rukia pressed her lips against his.

She pulled back almost as suddenly and smiled at him. "I hate it when you're right!" She proclaimed before capturing his lips in another brief kiss. "Luckily…we were both wrong this time. So, I'll let it slide."

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He returned the hug and whispered into her soft ears, "That kick hurt, Midget."

"Deal with it, Dandelion." She whispered back.

* * *

><p>Rukia sneezed loudly. She and Ichigo had traveled back to his apartment and had just gotten back inside. The moment Ichigo made it through the door; he'd rushed off to get them some towels. Turns out lying on the ground during a rainstorm gets the clothes under your coats sopping wet…go figure.<p>

Rukia pulled off her coat and let it hang on his coat rack, water dripping on his floor. She smiled and figured he'd get over it. However, the moment Ichigo returned with towels, "Why the hell is your coat dripping on my floor?"

Rukia grinned at him. "Never seen a wet coat before? It makes sense if you think about it. Oh wait, that's the hard part for you, isn't it?" Ichigo wanted to scowl so hard that his face would break but all that settled on his lips was a smile. He tossed her a towel and grabbed the coat from the rack and took it to the kitchen.

Rukia began furiously drying her head, especially her ears. After she felt it was enough, she concentrated on her tail; the damn thing was like a sponge when it came to water. Even though it had been tucked inside her pants, it was soaked to the bone and she had to take special care of it. Ichigo came back with some fresh clothes and told her that he'd change in the bathroom while she could use his room.

"Being a gentleman suits him." She said to herself as she discarded her wet clothes for dry ones. This time she found herself wearing an oversized t-shirt that hung off one shoulder and a nice pair of sweatpants. As she dressed, Rukia replayed the last hour in her head over and over again.

She only came to give him back his hoodie but when he saw her she panicked and ran. It seemed like a good idea at the time but when the truck came…Then, he saved her from the truck and told her…told her…

She smiled at the memory. He had told her that he wanted to be with her…always and forever. She was tempted to think it wasn't real but the evidence was far too clear for this all to be a dream. She considered that the truck really did hit her and she was dead and in heaven or something…but that was just stupid!

No one could do what Ichigo had just done, even if it was all just a dream. It felt so amazing when he told her that _she_ was his world; her and not anyone else. It was nothing like a scene from all the romantic manga she was always reading. He didn't proclaim his undying love, he didn't claim her as his own, he didn't even say the three magical words; "I love you".

Then again, he didn't have to. Thinking back on it, Ichigo professing his undying love and claiming ownership of her would have just pissed her off. And truth be told, she didn't need the three magical words. Just telling her that he wanted to stay by her side was much more powerful and meaningful than three words that were often overused in manga, and even real life.

Plus, she hadn't said it back to him either. They just confirmed what they both already knew about each other. It was love but it was a love they didn't need to proclaim to each other, they both just needed to understand that the other felt the same way. All they needed was that understanding and they certainly had that.

As Rukia finished changing and reentered the living room, she found Ichigo on the couch, looking at a phone book. Rukia would not miss this opportunity. She crouched down on all fours and stalked up behind him. Her ears flattened and her eyes locked onto her prey. She pounced onto his head from behind the couch and latched her nails into his skull.

Ichigo screamed out of panic and surprise. He grabbed his assailant and tossed her over his shoulder and placed her in an arm hold. Rukia shrieked as she fell over top of him, trying to break free of his grip. Where the hell did he learn to do something like this? No one had ever "survived" one of her surprise attacks before but he treated it like it was a walk in the park.

Realizing it was Rukia, he let her go and she twisted back to him, pouting. He blushed a bit. "What the hell, Rukia! Did you confuse my head for chew toy!" he shouted as the pout changed into a smirk.

"I couldn't help it." She said innocently, "We Nekojin are drawn to _brightly colored objects_. Blame my instincts, not me." Ichigo frowned as she took a seat adjacent from him.

"What happened to 'I can't let my instincts control me. I'm a Kuchiki'?" he retorted in a high voice to mock her.

She gave him a snide smile. "What happened to 'I just want you to be yourself around me. I'm here for you'?" she deepened her voice to imitate him. He scowled but his eyes sparkled, she knew she had him but he refused to go quietly.

"Funny how you sound more like me than I actually do. You sure you're not a man?" he chided. She grinned back at him.

"You sure you're okay with this "man" kissing you?" she raised a suggestive eyebrow and her tail flicked at him. Ichigo was distracted by the incredibly cute tail maneuver that he didn't notice the fist moving to collide with the side of his face before it was too late. He fell back on the couch, holding his face.

"That was for calling me a man." She informed him before sitting next to him and patting him on the head. "This is for being a good little Dandelion." She pulled his hands away and gave him a quick peck on the lips before pulling away, smiling to herself. She sat back down and pretended to ignore him; it was fun to watch him squirm, even now.

Ichigo didn't fight the joy that sprung up inside his soul. Yeah, his face hurt but his lips were on fire! Sure, they're relationship was somewhat violent but if all their fights ended like that…he'd be in heaven.

"W-Whatever." He choked out, trying to be nonchalant about his new relationship with the Nekojin. He tossed the phone book to her. "You order the pizza then." Rukia smiled and began furiously looking through the pages.

"Do you know what you want?" Ichigo asked settling in on the couch.

"Anchovies!" Rukia screamed as she looked for the number. Ichigo jumped and stared at her with a bizarre look on his face. Rukia noticed it and said, "I've never had them…they sound good..." Ichigo pulled back from her a bit, grinning. "Don't judge me." She finished as she looked for the number again.

"I'm judging you…" Ichigo joked, letting a laugh slip out as she used his phone to order the pizza. Ichigo didn't care for anchovies but the catlike smile on Rukia's face when the pizza arrived caused him to reconsider. They quickly devoured the circle of Italian delight and continued to sit in silence together on the couch. They were close but not touching, just sitting there enjoyed the splendor of each other's presence.

Just when the silence was getting awkward, Rukia abruptly asked, "Ichigo, what are we?"

He shot her a slightly confused look. "Well, last time I checked; I'm a man, you're a woman. I'm a human; you're a crazy, catlike midget…" She smacked him behind the head, silencing him.

"Seriously," her face was stern and her eyes searching for an answer. "What do we call…_this_? This _thing_ we have." Ichigo understood what she meant. They're relationship certainly was odd. It was built on beatings and insults but that seemed like the highlight of it.

"Just what _are_ we, Ichigo?" Rukia continued, "The idea of being called boyfriend and girlfriend churns my stomach because we don't act like a typical couple and being called 'Partners' doesn't fit because that usually implies marriage and lovers make is sound like…" She stopped speaking and a small blush grew across her face, which she pretended wasn't there.

Although it kind of hurt to hear that from her, she was right. Calling Rukia his 'girlfriend' did feel off but not that far off, the whole Partners thing was way to formal and odd sounding and the lovers bit just made him blush.

"On top of that," she continued, "I like the way things are right now. The two of us just hanging out and messing around. No labels, no expectations, just…fun."

Ichigo stared at her face, confusion twisting it and contorting its beauty. He wanted to reassure her but he didn't have the words. He didn't know what to call this relationship either; the only thing he knew for certain was that they both wanted to be together. It really didn't matter to him how he defined the relationship as long as it involved her staying with him. In the middle of his thoughts, she finally looked to him, her eyes desperate for an answer.

"I don't want _this_ to change. I want to keep on fighting with you and winning arguments and having someone to just be with and…" she didn't know where she was going with this tirade; she just wanted to be secure in her thinking. She hung her head and turned away from him, his silence cutting into her.

"What makes you think I want things to change either?"

His voice brought her gaze back to his handsome face, that signature sunlit smile washing over her, reassuring her. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against him. "If I didn't make it clear before, I'll spell it out…" his hand drifted up to her fuzzy ears and he began to scratch them, causing Rukia close her eyes and smile; suppressing the urge to purr.

"I couldn't care less about what we do together, as long as we do it _together_. I love the way things are now, personally. Sure, you can get a bit rough at times but that's what I find so amazing about you. Above all else, I want you to keep being you, Rukia."

As he finished, he leaned down and placed his forehead against hers and whispered, "Besides that, we now have an excuse to furiously make-out after a huge 'argument'." Rukia huffed but didn't disagree, she secretly wished for the same thing.

Ichigo began to pull his head back but Rukia grabbed his head and suddenly pressed her lips against his. After getting over the initial shock, Ichigo slowly moved into the kiss. Rukia wrapped her arms around his head to pull herself up and deepened the kiss. Ichigo kissed her back with just as much passion. A soft moan escaped Rukia's throat as they explored the outer region of each other's mouths.

Just when it seemed it would go a lot further, Rukia pulled back, gasping for air. Ichigo breathed deep and swooped in for another but was met with Rukia's palm. She pushed him back and he fell back on the couch as she stood up and smirked at him.

"Don't go overboard, Dandelion." She said slyly, "That's all you get for tonight. Learn to be patient you little horny flower." Ichigo glared up at her.

"You kissed me first…"

"Which is why I had to stop it before it got out of hand..."

"And I suppose you moaning was just for effect…"

"Please, as if you could possibly make me moan…it was more of a grunt."

Ichigo's smirk turned into a mischievous grin. "Give me half the chance and I'll prove I can…" he said with seductive tone, which only made Rukia laugh.

"Better save it for your dreams, Dandelion. It's only place _that'll_ ever happen." Her voice said one thing but the grin on her face provided evidence for the contrary. Ichigo would accept that challenge at a later date and he'd make sure she did more than just moan.

Almost immediately after their first make-out session, fatigue caught up with Rukia. She strode up to Ichigo, gave him a quick peck on the lips and told him, "I'm hitting the sack," her eyes narrowed at him, "And I better not be disturbed or else we'll be calling you mulch, Dandelion." Ichigo didn't have time to protest before she shouted goodnight to him and departed for _his _room.

This, Ichigo would not stand for…

* * *

><p>Rukia discarded the clothes that Ichigo had provided because they would be uncomfortable to sleep in. This left her only in her undergarments, causing memories of her first visit to Ichigo's apartment to surface. She smiled as she remember how awkward it felt back then but how enthralling it was right now.<p>

Ichigo was only on the other side of the wall, she was giddy about the fact that he was so close but she managed to hold in her excitement. After all, it's not like he was gonna try and sneak a peek at her, he just wasn't that kind of guy. That was one of the many things that she adored about him but would never admit to in a thousand years.

Rukia turned out the lights and snuggled into Ichigo's bed. She held a tight grip on his pillow and allowed herself to deeply inhale his scent. Only a few hours ago this scent made her cringe in fear but now it was the subject of her happiest memories. Although it had just happened, it felt like she and Ichigo had been a couple for years, probably because they argued so much.

She giggled as she snuggled closer to the pillow and almost didn't notice the arms that enveloped her. She gasped as the arms pulled her back against someone's bare chest. "Comfortable?" a familiar voice asked.

Rukia saw red.

Okay, maybe Ichigo wasn't _that_ kind of guy but he was still guy! She really should have factored that in before she tried to lay down to sleep! More importantly, how did he get in here without her noticing? Must have been while she was busy snuggling his pillow and wallowing in his scent…

"W-What the hell are you doing, Dandelion?" she sputtered out as she broke free of his grasp. As she pushed away she felt that he was only wearing his boxers, which made her face burn red from embarrassment. It was hard to see in the dark but she knew he was grinning at her.

"I'm _trying _to sleep and being the nice guy that I am, I wanted to make sure we were both comfortable…" he said before she kicked him out of the bed. "Ow! Dammit Rukia, the floor's cold!"

"Too damn bad!" she shouted before coving herself with the blanket again, "I told you not to disturb me, can't you take a hint!" Suddenly, _she_ felt cold. Ichigo ripped the blanket off the bed and held it behind his back. She jumped up and glared at him but he held onto his resolve.

"I'm tired of_ you_ always taking _my_ bed every time you're here…"

"I wasn't the one who put me—"

"No excuses, Rukia." He told her with a twinkle in his eye. "I'm sleeping in my bed tonight, end of story."

"Fine!" Rukia hissed as she headed for the door, no longer caring that she was only in her underwear and her heritage was practically taunting him. "If you want it that bad then you can…!" Before she knew what happened, the blanket was wrapped around her body and pulling her back to the bed. Her eyes widened as she shot a look back at Ichigo.

"I never said we couldn't _share_ the bed, now did I Midget?" his grin was mischievous but not malevolent. If it had been anyone else, Rukia would have crushed their family jewels and not stopped at just that. However, a half-naked Ichigo asking her to share a bed with him was overloading her brain.

"H-Hey...wha…I…how…WHAT!" she managed to vocalize just as he pulled her back to him.

"You heard me." He said as he pushed her back onto the bed. Before she had time to recover, he had already lied down and spread the blanket over both of them. "There we go." He said as he began to situate himself.

Rukia began to regain her wits and was about to make her way out of the increasingly enticingly comfortable bed when she felt him wrap his arms around her again. He pulled her close and snuggled up to her like she had done with his pillow.

Rukia struggled a bit and said, "I don't think this is a good idea…" She looked up to see him staring right into her eyes. It was then that she felt like melting.

"Trust me, okay? I promise I won't try anything." He reassured her. She gave him a skeptical look.

"Says the half-naked man to the half-naked girl in his bed…" she muttered, making him frown. Rukia noticed the look and instantly couldn't stand it. She then made the fatal mistake of inhaling through her nose. Oh dear God! The scent of Ichigo was much more potent when it was actually him! His hoodie from before would never suffice after this!

Ichigo, thinking he may have gone too far, began to release her. "If it really bothers you…" He was silenced when she grabbed him and snuggled up to him, her tail wrapping around his leg affectionately.

Before Ichigo could begin to express the feelings of how it felt to have her fuzzy appendage wrap around him, she told him, "You can stay…as long as you keep your promise, alright Dandelion?" Ironically, it sounded more like she was begging him to stay rather than letting him stay. Ichigo didn't complain, instead he snuggled up to her as she used his chest as a pillow.

Ichigo cautiously brought one hand up and began to slowly rub her soft, catlike ears. Moments later, a loud purring engulfed the room. Ichigo giggled a little and the purring abruptly stopped. Rukia glared up at him.

"Don't laugh. It's how I show I'm happy." She coldly informed him. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"I laughed because I missed it, that's all. Now go to sleep, ya crazy Midget." He said as he resumed petting her. Rukia would have argued but the pleasant feeling of snuggling with him combined with the ear scratching was putting her in a state of pure bliss.

"Damn you." She jokingly said as she drifted off to sleep. Ichigo waited until she had completely fallen asleep to stop petting her. Even when he took his hand away, the purring continued unabated. He smiled down at the adorable, kitten-like girl in his arms and he laid his head to gaze at her while he feel into slumber.

"You started it…" he whispered as sleep took him.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

It's been a long haul but we're finally at the halfway point in the story! Now begins the real challenge for this beautiful couple. How, you may ask? Stay tuned to find out!

Thanks for reading! Please Review because…I'm not gonna lie, it'll make me happy…


	17. Visit

We're The Same

Chapter 16: Visit

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>"Yo, Dandelion! Hurry the hell up! It's starting!"<p>

Ichigo waited in front of the microwave, the popcorn taking an eternity to finish. He smiled to himself as he waited to bring snacks for the movie. It had been three weeks since they'd confirmed their feelings for each other and during that time, many incidents had occurred.

Everyone on campus easily discovered that they were a couple because when they weren't beating the crap out of each other, they would share a quick kiss before departing or begin to make out then and there. Also, thanks to Kyoraku and Ukitake, Aizen had little to no access to Rukia and Ichigo's fierce glares scared off anyone that even tried to close to her.

After the first week, Rukia had tried something risky. She decided to wear clothes that revealed her heritage. She went to class without her beanie or hoodie and let her tail flow behind her as she walked. Many people stared and some insulted her but she only smirked at them. She really didn't care what they thought of her anymore; all that mattered was the Ichigo liked her for who she was.

Next to that, nothing else mattered. After that, it became routine for her to show her fluffy parts in public, or at least on campus.

Yoruichi and Urahara obviously knew because Rukia would spend almost every weekend in Ichigo's apartment, not to mention the positive attitude change they both went through at the same time. Rukia would get out of class on Friday and sneak off to his apartment until late Sunday night, when he would walk her home.

The entire time, nothing really changed between them…well, almost nothing. Rukia still beat on him endlessly and he still insulted her drawings. The only real difference was that they would occasionally make out after a furious "fight". They would often fall asleep on the couch with Ichigo scratching her dainty ears but that was normal after expending all of your energy battling/making out with someone.

Rukia finally began to let her feline instincts out but only every so often and only around Ichigo. Ichigo actually considered getting a ball of yarn and taunting her with it but restrained himself because she might actually hurt him for that one. Above all, they just enjoyed each other's company.

They settled what their official status as a couple was: Rukia was the "Agitator"; Ichigo was the "Agitatee" and what they had was an "Argumentative Relationship"…It was the closest thing to them admitting to be boyfriend and girlfriend. When that explanation failed to properly explain things they just flat out admitted they were dating.

This weekend was going great so far. It was Friday night, neither of them had any homework, plus they had Monday off from classes because of holiday. Four days to spend time with each other, four days to just relax and annoy each other, four days for them to do whatever the hell _they_ wanted.

Sure, they didn't go out or party or anything but they didn't want to. They would watch action movies or play cards or other games. Sometimes they would just lounge around and bullshit over less than important things. This was the way they wanted it. No pressure, no hassle, just fun.

"The previews are over! Where the hell are you, Dandelion!" Rukia's voice tore though his apartment.

"I can't make it pop any faster, just hold on, ya gluttonous Midget!" he shouted back.

"You're the one who's been putting on weight recently and you call _me_ gluttonous!"

"If it wasn't inappropriate to call a girl fat…I'd call you fat!"

"Get your ass out here, Dandelion!"

Even though she was screaming, Ichigo knew she actually wasn't angry. It was customary for them to constantly try to one-up the other and it added a spice to the relationship. While it was an odd relationship, they were both completely content with it.

The popcorn dinged and at the same time, Ichigo's phone rang. The ringtone came from out in the living room, were Rukia was. "I'll get it!" Rukia shouted and dived for the phone. Ichigo's eyes widened. Only one person besides Rukia ever called him!

He dashed into the living room shouting, "No, Rukia! Wait!" But he was too late. Rukia sat with a petrified look on her face. All she had said was hello and instantly a gush of excited, nonsensical words blasted her fluffy ears. Ichigo ran and grabbed his phone from her.

"My boy has become a man!" the voice on the other end shouted. "When can I expect my grandbabies!"

"What the hell, old man!" Ichigo shouted back into the receiver.

"Oh, Ichigo! Why didn't you tell Daddy you had girlfriend! You don't love your Papa anymore do you!" Ichigo's father, Isshin Kurosaki, cried into the phone.

"Dad will you stop nagging me about this! And she's not my girlfriend, she's my Agitator!" Ichigo nearly face-palmed when he actually told his father that because all it did was give his insane father more ammo to use against him.

"I don't care what you kids are calling it these days, just tell me one thing…**are you having sex!**" Ichigo exploded with frustration and began furiously yelling at his father.

Rukia watched as Ichigo bantered with, who she suspected was, his father for several minutes. Despite the craziness, it was actually amusing to see Ichigo so flustered. She hadn't seen him really frustrated in a while and frankly, she missed it. While she adored poking fun at him, it wasn't the same since he knew she was only doing it to bug him. Yeah, she was sadistic like that…

"No, no, no, no. You can't do that Dad!" Rukia's tail swished in amusement as he tried to convince his father of something. "Dad, please! I'm begging you! I'll give you anything you want…NOT THAT!" Ichigo hung his head in defeat and muttered, "Damn you, old man…" He closed his phone and made his way to Rukia, slumping on the couch next to her.

Rukia crawled up to him, her tail high in the air and laid her head on his shoulder. It was a clear sign that he was to scratch behind her ears and damn him to hell if he didn't obey. He sighed and lifted a hand up and half-heartedly rubbed. Rukia gave him a dissatisfied look.

"What the hell's wrong with you? You normally love this part…" she demanded.

"Nothing…" She punched his arm and he squealed. "Jeez, can you not hit me for second? I gotta figure something out."

She scowled at him; "So much for it being nothing…" she pulled herself away from him, much to his dismay. Before she had time to get away, he grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back. He pressed her head against his chest and vigorously massaged her ears. Rukia knew better than to protest when he actively tried to please her feline needs.

She slowly closed her eyes and a soft purr resounded through the room. Before she got to enthralled in the petting, she gently grabbed his hand to stop him. She sat up and looked him in the eyes. "So…what happened?"

It was more than obvious that his dad had done something and she wanted to know what. They had been pretty open with each other since they started dating but neither really talked about family much. Not because it was a sour subject but just because there was never a good time to bring it up.

Ichigo gave a deep sigh. "My old man tends to…overreact about _everything_." The solemn look on Ichigo's face upset Rukia. She had practically demanded his shining personality be brought forth whenever she was present and he never seemed to mind anyway. But now seeing him distraught made her feel a strange sensation.

She wanted to help him, just like he always helped her. She could share his burden just as much as he could share hers. Rukia grinned slyly to herself; she had a trick to get him into a better mood. It was a typical catlike gesture that she only pulled out when she really needed.

Just like an affectionate kitty, she slowly began rubbing the top of her head against him, purring all the while. Ichigo was snapped out of his depressing thoughts when she did that for him and he responded the same way he always did. He stroked her ears and let her rub against him all she wanted.

"Thanks…" he muttered as she finally settled back onto his chest.

"Anytime…" she whispered back. "So, why did he flip out when I answered the phone? Or was it the 'Agitator' part that got to him?" She smiled slyly up at him and he returned the look.

"No, in fact, the Agitator just spurred him on." Ichigo exhaustedly explained. Rukia gave him a confused look so he continued, "My old man has some form of insanity that makes him want to have grandkids as soon as possible and he figures since I have someone of the opposite sex in my life, it's my responsibility to get it for him."

Rukia cocked an eyebrow at him. "Was he abused as a child?" she half-joked. Ichigo sighed again and leaned further back.

"No, he's just bat-shit insane…and I haven't even gotten to the worst part." Ichigo braced himself for a smack, while Rukia leaned in further. "He got us train tickets to come visit him."

Rukia looked at him confused, it didn't seem all that bad to her. Sure it would be odd meeting his family but it didn't seem like the end of the world. "Okay…When?"

"Tomorrow…"

The catgirl grimaced slightly and gave him an incredulous look. "You didn't agree…did you?" This was supposed to be their fun weekend where they could lounge around and be lazy; she really didn't like the idea of going on a trip. Her eyes hardened and she was close to giving him a Kuchiki glare. Ichigo nervously scratched his head and averted his gaze from her.

"He kinda didn't give me a choice…"

Outside the small apartment, a loud smacking was heard, followed by a girly squeal.

* * *

><p>Rukia pouted on the train to Karakura Town. It was Saturday afternoon and instead of lounging in the sun, like she wanted, she was stuck on an uncomfortable train heading to her Agitatee's hometown. This also meant that she had covered her fluffy parts because she was still uncomfortable having them visible while traveling. Her usual beanie and baggy pants were in place for this reason.<p>

Ichigo had apologized several times and for the most part, she'd forgiven him. She really couldn't blame him for actually wanting to go visit his family. After all, his family liked him.

In her case, she only went home when it was absolutely necessary. No one liked having her around the Kuchiki Manor, it was clear that her presence was _tolerated_ and not _welcome_. Either way, here she was, trying to get comfortable on the horribly bumpy train.

"This sucks," she complained again, "Why do we have to do this again?"

"Because if we don't visit him, my father will come visit us…Trust me it's better this way." Ichigo replied for what seemed like the twentieth time that hour. He really felt guilty dragging her into this but the sooner she faced his family the easier he'd sleep at night. He just hoped his father didn't scare her off…

Rukia huffed and looked out the window. The scenery was actually quite lovely this time of year and it was nice to get out of Tokyo other than to return to her high tension home. "I can't believe you're dragging me all the way out to the boonies like this." Her voice contained hints of sarcasm, showing that she wasn't that angry.

"Hey! Despite the name, Karakura _Town_ is actually a good sized city, thank you very much." The Dandelion shot back. "Besides, I only _asked_ if you would come. You could have said 'no'."

Rukia cocked her eyebrow at him. "What kind of 'Agitator' would I be if I let you get off the hook for a whole weekend? There wasn't much of a choice to make." She gave him a sheepish grin.

Ichigo smiled at her and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Thanks, Midget." Rukia blushed and turned away from his addicting smile. In truth, she was happy to come and meet his family. She knew it meant a lot to him and she was just happy to finally be doing something to help him out, though the idea of meeting his father was the subject of her nightmares last night.

What kind of father demanded his first born son to give him grandchildren…Okay so that wasn't completely uncommon but still! Rukia let her hand slide down and grip onto his, giving him a slight squeeze and he squeezed her hand back. It was a kind of secret code to indicate that she was nervous but didn't want to say it. She knew that it was all going to be fine but the idea of actually meeting his family was nerve wracking nonetheless.

His family didn't even know she was a Nekojin…how were they going react?

* * *

><p>They got off the train at Karakura Station. They were two hours early and still had time before they were supposed to meet at Ichigo's house.<p>

"Show me around," Rukia demand/suggested. "I wanna see where you grew up." Ichigo didn't need much more encouragement than that. He figured they didn't have a whole lot of time so he decided to take her to his own secret runaway spot.

On the way, they passed his old high school and Ichigo found himself staring at the rooftop. "Ya know, I used to eat lunch up there." The Nekojin stopped when she noticed her Agitatee's melancholy smile. "Really, it was just a place to get away from everyone else. High school's tough when most people think you're a gangster or something…" Rukia listened to each word; he was rarely so talkative about his upbringing.

Ichigo turned back to his Agitator and noticed her concern so he flashed her a smile. "Not that any of that matter's anymore," he glanced back at the education building with his smile almost forcefully held in place. The Dandelion sighed before grinning at his Nekojin Agitator. "Now I have to deal with a stubby, violent cat who thinks my face is a punching—"

Ichigo learned it was best not finish that sentence as Rukia's tiny, yet powerful fist collided with it. "Just doing what I can, Dandelion!" The violet eyed Nekojin chided as she walked backwards away from him, grinning all the while. The orange haired Dandelion quickly recovered and began to chase the Midget Nekojin, suddenly forgetting his melancholy memories.

They quickly reached Ichigo's runaway spot, which wasn't really a runaway spot at all. It was the park. "Mine's nicer," Rukia chided as they swung on the swings. "Less people." She pointed out the few people walking through the park. Ichigo smiled sadly at them, making Rukia regret bringing it up.

"My Mom used to bring us here all the time when we were kids," he said suddenly, "After she died, I'd always come here alone, just to think." He sighed and let the sadness slip from his smile. "It's actually the first time I've been here in years. I guess I just needed a reason to come back."

Rukia easily understood his meaning but kept it to herself. It was nice that she gave him the courage to return to this place. She knew how hard it was to go back to a place with such painful memories. She jumped out of the swing and landed gracefully.

"Cat's always land on their feet, don't they?" Ichigo prodded as he did the same. Rukia kicked him in the shin. "What'd I do this time!" he cried out as she smiled innocently at him.

"When I travel incognito, it's best not to bring that stuff up, got it?" She spun around and headed for the public restroom. "I'll be right back, don't get lost while I'm gone, Dandelion!"

"Don't fall in, Midget!" He was lucky she didn't have anything to throw at him or else he'd of needed to dodge it. As she disappeared from his sight he let out a deep sigh. "Well, Mom…I'm back." He said to himself. "I've missed you…I have a…'girlfriend' now. I think you would have liked her…" He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Just then, abrupt pain shot through his head. Ichigo fell forward and found himself pinned on the ground by several guys. He tried to get up but they held him tight. Ichigo looked up to see an old adversary grinning down at him.

"Well, if it ain't Kurosaki! Never figured I'd see your spiky haired ass again!" Tatsuou, leader of one of the local gangs, jeered down at him. Great, just what he didn't need right now.

"Yeah, me either. And since we don't really want to see each other again, what do you say to me just getting out of…" Tatsuou abruptly kicked him in the face, stopping his words. Ichigo spit out blood and glared up at the bastard.

"Don't act all cute, Kurosaki. We waited a long time to finally get even with you after the hell you put us through." The bastard shouted at the defenseless Dandelion. Ichigo remember that he had broken several bones in Tatsuou's body alone; he didn't even know what he'd done to the rest of his gang.

Ichigo was once mistaken for a rival gang leader and consequently he had to teach these losers a lesson for their mistake. Ever since then, they'd tried to ambush and attack him but they never had any luck, until today. He was far too relaxed today and busy reminiscing to even notice them before. Crap, how was he gonna get out of this one…

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing!" That voice made Ichigo shudder. He looked up to see Rukia glaring at them with the fury of a thousand suns. Dammit, why did she have to come back now!

Tatsuou took one look at her and laughed, everyone in this gang joined in. "What's this? Kurosaki's got himself a girl! Oh, this is rich!" They continued to laugh until Rukia shouted at them.

"What's rich is you think your gonna get away with attacking Ichigo like that!" Her tone was honestly scary to Ichigo. He'd never seen Rukia so fired up and ready to pounce before. Then again, being here, far away from campus, there was no one to stop her from beating the living daylights out of just about anybody. And he knew firsthand how hard she could really punch!

Tatsuou ignored her threats and brazenly walked up to her. He placed his hand on her beanie clad head and said, "And just what are you gonna do about it, little girl?"

Rukia instantly grabbed his arm, held him in place and delivered a bone crushing cross punch to his face. Tatsuou fell to the ground, unconscious. He pulled her beanie off as he fell, revealing her dainty ears. The rest of the gang stared in complete shock and disbelief. Their tough, badass leader just got his head beat in by a cute little Nekojin and she was far from finished. Ichigo, on the other hand, was not surprised...

He never doubted that Rukia could hold her own in a fight; it was one of the most attractive things about her. He chuckled as he realized he should be more concerned for the gangsters than Rukia.

She continued to glare at them with utter rage in her eyes. No one messed with Ichigo without answering to her! She cracked her knuckles and shouted, "Who's next!" For a minute, no one dared move. Then one of them gave into anger and charged her.

"Damn, Neko-bitch!" he shouted as he ran towards her. Before he even got close, Rukia jumped and delivered a spin kick to his face, sending him flying. The remaining gang members began to cower in fear of this small yet incredibly intimidating Nekojin.

"Let him go, now!" She demanded. They all remained petrified with fear but she was tired of waiting. She bared her teeth and hissed at them like an incredibly pissed off feline. They instantly let Ichigo free and ran off screaming in terror. The moment they were gone, Rukia resumed her arrogant and badass attitude. She picked up her beanie from the unconscious leaders hand and grinned at Ichigo.

"Guess this makes us even, doesn't it, Dandelion?" She widened her grin as he stood up and made his way to her. He could tell by the look on her face that she was immensely proud of herself and she had good reason to be. Not many girls in a relationship beat up their man's enemies but then again, no other girl was Rukia.

"Even? Not by a long shot, Midget." He shot back. "For one thing, I've lost track of the number of times I've come to your rescue and besides, I could have handled it just fine…"

"Is that why your face is swollen and your lip is bleeding?" she chided as Ichigo wiped away the blood and sighed. Rukia could practically tell him what he was gonna ask her next…

"Can we not tell my family about this, please? I don't want to worry them." Rukia smirked at him and began walking toward the park exit as he ran to catch up.

"What'll you give me to buy my silence?" She asked slyly.

She felt his arms envelop her and he whispered in her soft ears. "I'll think of something…" She turned back around to him and gave him quick kiss. "Better make it good, Dandelion."

"Do I ever disappoint, Midget?"

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

I love the idea of Rukia saving Ichigo from gangsters, best idea ever!

Please Review and thanks for the read!


	18. Working On It

We're The Same

Chapter 17: Working On It

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author Note: A big thank you to everyone that has continued to review and given me feedback! Thanks for all the support, espeically the little guys who don't have accounts but still leave a nice comment or two! And to everyone that reads and enjoys this story...thanks for giving me the courage to write more ideas like this!

* * *

><p>The pressure encompassing Ichigo's hand threatened to crush it like a piece of paper. Rukia gripped his palm tightly as they stood outside the door to his family's house, her heart racing nervously. She had made a point to make sure her beanie was in place and her tail was completely tucked inside her baggy pants.<p>

Besides her crushing Ichigo's hand, she showed absolutely no trace of fear or anxiety. Although Ichigo was happy she agreed to come with him, he also felt guilty because he knew as long as he asked her, she'd willingly consent. He gave her hand a light squeeze, making her glance his direction.

"Ready for this, Midget?" he grinned at her and she smirked back. She reached out and bravely knocked on the door.

"I'm not a pansy flower like you, ya know." She stuck her little pink tongue out at him and he pretended to be annoyed. Before either of them knew it, the door flew open and a fist crashed into Ichigo's distracted face.

Ichigo flew backwards and hit the ground. The moment Rukia lost hold of her Dandelion's hand, she reacted. She ducked and shot her fist straight up, making contact with someone's chin. She jumped back and readied herself for another assault but it never came. Instead, she found a middle aged man in a white doctor's coat lying on the ground, grasping his face.

"Papa!" A young voice cried out. A short girl with light brown hair rushed to the side of the assailant. "Oh, don't baby him. He's seen worse." Another girl with jet black hair appeared next to them, a bored look on her face. Rukia remembered that Ichigo had told her he had twin little sisters but they looked so dramatically different, she figured they must not be identical which the Neko had automatically assumed. But that was beside the point, she was still unsure of what had transpired.

Who had she just attacked…?

She heard Ichigo stir behind her and looked to see him sitting up. "The hell is wrong with you!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. At first, Rukia believed his comment was directed at her and her ferocity disappeared but then he quickly got up and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You could've hit Rukia, ya crazy old man!"

Rukia's eyes widened as the middle aged man finally sat up. He had fading black hair and a strange look about him that reminded her of Ichigo, though she couldn't place why. She was baffled at why his father had attacked him but her thoughts were quickly cut off by his overly excited laughter.

"Man, can my third daughter throw a punch! I'll be sore for week after this!" he continued to laugh as Ichigo let out a deep sigh. Rukia looked from Ichigo to his father, her eyes demanding answers. Third daughter? What's up with that? Ichigo noticed her perplexed look. "Sorry about that Rukia. My _crazy old man_ has a violent habit of ambushing me every chance he gets!"

Even though he was explaining, he was also yelling at his dad. Despite the craziness, Rukia smiled at him. No wonder her violent outbursts didn't have an effect on him, he'd been living through this kind of treatment his whole life. It was no wonder he was so tough, with a father like that, no one would stand a chance against the Dandelion.

"Oh, my wonderful third daughter has such a beautiful smile!" Ichigo's father's voice popped up behind her, making her jump. "I'm Isshin Kurosaki. It's a pleasure to meet you Rukia!" He went in for a hug, causing Rukia to flinch. Ichigo's foot connected with his face and the man dropped like a sandbag.

The girl with light brown hair slowly approached Rukia, nervously smiling and ignoring her immobilized father. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Yuzu Kurosaki." She bowed politely to Rukia. "Thank you for taking care of my brother."

"Hey…" Ichigo protested but was cut off by the black haired girl.

"What's up? I'm Karin. Nice to meet you." Her voice was as nonchalant as her expression but she didn't seem cold or distant. Rukia bowed to them and managed to squeeze out, "I'm Rukia Kuchiki. The pleasure is all mine."

Karin half-smiled at her. "It must be tough, putting up with Ichigo I mean. He's a real handful…"

"Hey! I am not!" the Dandelion retorted. However, Rukia's undeniable talent for insults kicked in. She jabbed him in the side and smirked.

"Don't lie, Dandelion!" she turned back to the sisters and grinned. "You have no idea how traumatizing it is just being in his company. He practically begged me to come along and pretend to be his girlfriend." Isshin's head shot up and he suddenly appeared in front of her.

Tears welled up in his eyes. "You mean you're not the future mother of my grandbabies!" The overly emotional father fell to his knees and shouted to the heavens. "Oh, Masaki! Our son can't even bring a girl home to meet Daddy! I will die a grandchild-less failure!" Again, Rukia was unprepared for his outburst and grimaced.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and Ichigo whispered to her. "This is why it's best not to associate with my father. He doesn't understand sarcasm." Rukia's shock disappeared and she smirked at him.

"Who said I was being sarcastic? I meant every word…at least the part about not being your girlfriend." Ichigo playfully sighed and tapped her on the head.

"Right, Agitator. Got it."

The shared a quick kiss, which had Yuzu gasping, Karin sighing, and Isshin leaping for joy. "You crafty little girl," the father cried out, "I really believed you for a second." He let out a boisterous laugh. "Agitator, huh? You kids get into some kinky Before he could continue, Karin punched him in the face and motioned inside the house, surprising Rukia.

"The neighbor's are gonna complain…again. Let's go inside already." She walked past everyone and ignored her battered father's pleas for help. Yuzu smiled at them and said, "Dinner's almost ready. Make yourself at home, Rukia." She also turned and went back into the house.

Isshin climbed to his feet, holding his nose. "Karin's right. Don't want another complaint. To the living room!" he sped inside what Rukia realized was a mad house. These people were almost nothing like Ichigo, except Yuzu but she was still young. The Nekojin felt a warm hand being placed on her back and with a gentle shove, pushed her inside the door. She caught herself before she fell and whirled around.

"You trying to kill me, Dandelion!" Rukia glared at him but he only smirked. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him before giving her a quick peck on the lips, startling her.

Before she could retaliate, on impulse not repulsion, he said, "Anyone who can deck my old man that easily is more than welcome here. You've got my entire family's seal of approval." Rukia let her frustration fade but her nervousness was still there in the pit of her stomach. Ichigo noticed and cautiously patted the top of her head, making sure not to disturb the beanie. "These are the people that taught me that the Nekojin were just like everybody else…Besides, they seem to like you more than they like me."

Rukia grinned at him, her teeth shining. "Duh, I'm just so out of your league that they must be astounded that I'd even bother with you." She playfully punched his shoulder and he smiled his addicting sunlight smile at her.

"Sometimes…" he said as he pulled her into an embrace, "I wonder the same." Rukia let him pulled her to his chest and give her tight hug for encouragement. She could always count on him to be there for her, even when, in reality, she was actually there for him.

"Idiot, Dandelion…" she muttered as his body filled her with courage and warmth.

* * *

><p>"Feel free to take off your hat." Yuzu encouraged with a strange delight in her tone.<p>

Rukia froze in place. Crap, she needed an excuse and a good one. "We left pretty early today and she's kind of having a bad hair day. Just let her keep it." Ichigo quickly defended and Rukia mouthed a thank you to him in return.

Yuzu's expression saddened. "But I was hoping to see your ears-". Karin slapped her hand over Yuzu's mouth but the damage was already done. The Nekojin girl stood petrified by her Agitatee's little sister. The only thing stopping her from tearing out of the room was Ichigo's presence next to her.

She glared at Ichigo with hurtful eyes. "You told them..." Her cold and painful voice cut through him like a well sharpened knife. "After I specifically asked you not to…"

"I haven't told them anything!" Ichigo defended as her glared intensified. He did not back down from his position. "I swear Rukia, I didn't tell them anything."

"Then how do they know!" Rukia's voice growled and the twin sisters slowly back away, Yuzu holding in her tears out of guilt. Unbeknownst to all of them, Isshin was smiling at them, a rare trick he hardly ever pulled.

"I don't know!" Ichigo informed his Nekojin Agitator. "I don't know anyone else who could…" His face paled and he glanced over at his smiling father. "Oh, no." Rukia followed his gaze but didn't understand the meaning.

She stomped on his foot to get his attention. "Tell me how they know…Now." Her eyes had a new kind of threat in them, one that demanded information. Ichigo consoled his injury before turning to her and letting out a deep sigh before hanging his head.

"Ya know my landlord…"

"The crazy candy shopkeeper?"

"He's an old friend of my old man's, so whatever he knows…my Dad pretty much knows."

The Nekojin's eyes widened in realization and she gritted her teeth. She smacked Ichigo in the head and screamed, "Why didn't you tell me!" Ichigo recovered and glared right back at her.

"I forgot! Besides, it's not like we were gonna keep it a secret forever!" the Dandelion had a point but Rukia wouldn't allow it.

"Excuses will not be tolerated, Dandelion! I need more time to get accustomed to people before I reveal myself to them…" Ichigo grinned at the double meaning in her words. "Get your mind out of the gutter!" Rukia kicked his shin and they continued to argue back and forth, all the while the Kurosaki's stood in awe.

It was odd that they seemed to be enjoying the fight more than actually settling the problem but the way their eyes sparkled at each other made Isshin a very happy man, he hadn't seen that look in his son's eyes since his mother passed.

Yuzu was completely lost and fearful that she was causing them to break up while her father continued smiled at their "affectionate" display and Karin was too busy trying to console Yuzu to have a definite opinion.

"I know you have a tough time with your heritage but they're my family! Plus, they actually _want _to see them so how is this a bad thing!" Ichigo shot back at his Agitator.

"Hey! I'm working it, it's not an easy thing to do!" she panted and took a deep breath, signaling that she was ready to finish the "argument". "This is all Urahara's fault! I'm gonna kill him when we get back…"

"Not if I get to him first, Midget."

They shared an angry grin. "Together then?" The Neko suggested.

"A pleasure." The Dandelion agreed, wholeheartedly. "But first," Ichigo glanced over to his father who had resumed grinning like a maniac. "I'm gonna go have a _talk_ with the old man. In the meantime," he gestured to his sisters, "Have some girl time."

Before Rukia could "educate" him on the proper way to file a request with her, he sped off after his father, chasing him out the door and around the yard, Isshin cackling the whole way. In spite of the embarrassment, insults and physical abuse, Rukia was able to see the relief and joy in her Agitatee.

"Um…" a quiet voice got the Nekojin's attention and she turned to see a teary eyed Yuzu bow to her apologetically. "I'm so sorry about that. I've just never met a Nekojin before and I got all excited and...and…please don't break up with my brother because of me!" she sniffled and tried to hold in her tears. Rukia wanted to feel guilty but that wasn't enough to express how utterly sorry and embarrassed she felt for her outburst.

"I'm not breaking up with him," Rukia assured the crying girl. "That's just how we 'talk' to each other. Kinda like a code." Yuzu glanced up at her, tears finally receding.

"Really…" the brown haired girl asked quietly. Rukia smiled at her.

"Yeah, it's all good." Yuzu finally stopped crying and wiped away her tears. Guilt was still tearing at Rukia though; she needed to make this right. "Maybe this'll help you feel better…"

Rukia tugged off her beanie and her feline ears popped out to greet the young girl. Yuzu stared at them in fascination, afraid to actually touch them. "Go ahead," the Nekojin encouraged, leaning her head closer to the brown haired twin. Rukia kinda felt like a show-and-tell piece as Yuzu slowly reached out and tapped her ears, making them twitch. The young girl's tears dried and a beautiful smile spread across her face.

Suddenly, Yuzu embraced Rukia in a tight hug. "Oh, thank you Rukia. You're the best Nekojin I've ever met."

"She's the only one you've ever met…" Karin sighed behind her sister. "Seriously, don't get too worked up over everything, Yuzu." Karin was actually pretty worried herself but would never dare to show it. Rukia gave Karin a sly look and broke away from Yuzu. She slowly walked up to Karin and practically shoved her ears in her face. The dark haired twin jumped back, surprised.

"What? You don't wanna grope my ears too?" Rukia chided, almost enjoying it as much as torturing Ichigo. Karin gasped and abruptly turned around, embarrassed.

"Tch, no way. I'm too old for stuff like that…" she tried to sound uninterested but she kept glancing back at the fluffy ears. Rukia grinned wide at the embarrassed young girl.

"You sure about that? Ichigo gropes them…all…the…time." She emphasized, making Karin get weird mental images before heading for the TV.

"Whatever," the black haired twin retorted, sounding a lot like Ichigo. "My show's on." Karin plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV to merely change channels. Yuzu giggled and whispered to Rukia, "Karin and Ichigo are way more alike than they think, huh?"

Rukia nodded and giggle along with Yuzu. It was a major relief that they had been so positively receptive about her ears but she never expected them to be so infatuated by them. Never in her life had anyone asked to see her ears before, Ichigo really didn't count because he found out by accident.

The idea that someone just wanted to see her ears and didn't have an ulterior motive was a strange new concept that Rukia never thought of before. Then again, when most people hate and despise you for them, you generally think that everyone hates you and is planning to hurt you. Yuzu, and to some degree Karin, had both been very interest in her heritage and Rukia had a feeling it wouldn't stop there.

An hour later, Ichigo dragged his unconscious father back to the house and apologized for being late. Yuzu cooked the best meal that Rukia had ever tasted in her life, not even the chefs at the Kuchiki Manor could top this. Isshin rambled on about love and marriage and sex, which made everyone except Yuzu, punch and kick him senseless. It was then that Rukia understood the idea of being Isshin's third daughter; she was already part of the family in everyone's eyes.

Moreover, she could hardly believe that they enjoyed her violent nature to such a degree. Karin even complimented her on how tough she must be to be able to knock her insane father to the floor with one punch, a trick she desperately wanted to learn. All in all, they enjoyed a nice dinner and Rukia was actually laughing and having fun, ears and eventually tail, completely exposed.

It took some coaxing to get Rukia to let her tail out and the moment she did, Isshin practically swooned and tried to give her a bear hug. The attempt was stopped by Ichigo and Karin kicking the old man and beating him while he was down. The Nekojin smiled at the Kurosaki family and grinned at her Agitatee; it was definitely worth coming along.

As the night rolled on, Rukia helped Yuzu and Karin wash the dishes while Isshin called Ichigo outside for "man talk", which made Ichigo shiver. As he got outside, he noticed a sight he rarely ever saw. Isshin Kurosaki stood there with a slight scowl on his face; it was really creepy for the Dandelion because he rarely remembered times when his insane father wasn't grinning like a maniac.

"So, what's up old man?" Ichigo didn't want to draw attention to his father's serious look and Isshin stared straight ahead.

"Ichigo," his father's voice was deep and calm; the opposite of his usual persona. "I like her. She fits in really well. And so quickly too." Ichigo was surprised that her father was so serious about how much he liked Rukia, sure he'd never had a girlfrie—Agitator before but was it really that big of a deal? "She's really been hurt, hasn't she?" his father abruptly asked.

Ichigo was shocked at how perceptive his father was. He'd known Rukia for less than five hours and he already figured out so much about her. That was one talent Ichigo wished he'd have inherited from his father. "How'd you know?" the Dandelion didn't want to refute his father's insight.

"Just how happy she was tonight gave it away." His words hit Ichigo like a metal pole to the face. "It's like she never had real family experience before, am I right?" Ichigo said nothing, not wanting to tell him without Rukia's permission. "Silence is another form of confirmation, son." The old man informed him as they stared up at the night sky. "How serious are you about her?"

Ichigo reacted with thinking. "As long as I can keep her happy then nothing else matters." Most of the time when Ichigo proclaims something noble or profound, it's on instinct. This was one of those times. His crazy father chuckled and turned to his son, smiling a warm and loving smile. They were more alike than his son wanted to ever admit, Masaki would agree.

"Never forget that and you'll be happy together." Isshin strode past his son and reentered the house. The moment that insane man got back inside her resumed his goofy and off-the-wall persona. Ichigo smiled to himself when he heard the transition.

"I won't forget. Ever." And with that, the Dandelion went back inside the house to find his crazy father trying to pet Rukia's tail without the little Nekojin knowing.

Isshin wouldn't be able to feel his face for at least a week after that.

* * *

><p>"So where will I be sleeping?" The question brought everyone's attention to the raven haired Nekojin. The twins shared a look before Yuzu replied, "Aren't you going to sleep with Ichigo?"<p>

Rukia blushed and gaped at them for a moment, unsure of how to answer. They had cuddled and fallen asleep together a lot of times before but they had never actively gone to bed with each other, aside from the first night but that was different, Ichigo forced it…

"I-I just figured that he'd want to stay in his room by himself tonight, ya know?" the Nekojin finally answered, "Don't wanna get in his way or…something…" Silence followed this response until Isshin jumped up and delivered a solid kick to his son's face.

Before anyone could react he pointed to Ichigo and shouted, "How dare you not take my third daughter into your arms and demand you sleep together! Are you not a man with dignity and pride! Or are you just-". Ichigo flew up from the floor and kicked his father in the ribs.

"Shut up, old man! It's none of your business!" he shouted as he returned to his seat next to Rukia. "She'll do whatever she wants regardless of what I think so there's no need to-". The Neko jabbed his side and glared at him. She had wanted him to invite her to sleep with him but he'd just ruined it.

"Fine, I'll sleep in your sisters' room instead," she huffed at him and moved away, "Your snoring will keep me up anyway." She marched over to Yuzu and politely asked, "Can you show me the way please? I'm feeling tired."

Yuzu immediately got up and led Rukia up the stairs. Karin glared at Ichigo. "You should apologize," she told him sternly, "You'll miss out on your chance otherwise." Ichigo scoffed and turned his face away from her.

"Who asked you…" he whispered. Karin sighed and ascended the stairs to go to sleep as well, Isshin not far behind. "She wanted to hear you tell her you wanted to sleep with her too." Isshin muttered as he followed his daughter, he knew Ichigo had heard him. Ichigo let out a groan and cursed his overreacting nature again.

A few minutes later he went upstairs to his old room, passing his sister's room along the way. He heard Rukia complaining about something and ignored her, still mad at himself. He went inside his room and discovered that it was the same as it always was. The walls were bare, his desk and bed were in the same place, and the closet was still small. Nothing really changed as far as he could tell.

The only difference was a small box he found on his bed. He picked it up and grimaced. His father, in his infinite wisdom, had gotten him an entire box of condoms, strawberry flavored. Ichigo was about to fling it in the trash but he hesitated. He stuffed the box in his desk and slammed it shout, it brought memories of Rukia half-naked in his arms and he was aroused enough by that.

He had thought about getting intimate with the Nekojin dozens of times since they got together but he kept those ideas to himself, not wanting to force her into anything. Unlike most guys, sex was not the first thing on his mind when I came to his girlfrie—Agitator. Besides, Rukia didn't seem too eager so he needed to be patient and wait, no matter how difficult waiting would be. He knew I'd be worth it when it did happen.

He lied down on his bed and tried to suppress urges as he began to drift off to sleep.

* * *

><p>"He's such an idiot sometimes!" Rukia complained in the girl's room. She was dressed in a pair of Yuzu's yellow pajamas, her ears and tail sulking despite her attitude. "He just can't he take a hint!" she said, frustrated.<p>

Yuzu sat next to her and said, "Ichigo can be kind of…not really dense but just too considerate of other people's feelings…"

"He's a pansy." Karin reinterpreted, making Yuzu pout and turn back to Rukia.

"Either way, I'm sure he just didn't want to make you uncomfortable…"

"Or he's scared to actually do the deed." The blunt sister interpreted again, taking the conversation in a whole new direction while causing Yuzu to blush and gape at her sister. Rukia also turned a shade of red before replying, "W-What? That's not what I…"

"I think you're just frustrated because he's being so cautious with you and you're starting to want more." Karin offered. The Neko nearly fainted and hung her head in embarrassment. "Maybe I'm wrong," Karin continued, "But if I am, explain why you got so upset when he didn't even deny that he wanted to stay in the same room as you. You jumped to conclusions and didn't take the chance that was right in front of you."

Rukia regained her fighting spirit and glared back at the young girl. "Just what is that supposed to mean?" The Neko's ears twitched and her tail slowly began to find motion, she was definitely stirred by the girl's comments.

Karin sighed and looked Rukia in the eyes, silencing the poor Nekojin. "Ichigo's not just gonna come out and say what he wants, he not smart enough to do that. You gotta either be patient or take the initiative."

Rukia quietly considered her words. Sleeping with him wasn't a problem at all, in fact she kind of hoped he'd take it further but he held back for some reason. She always figured he wasn't ready for sex and needed time and this little display only solidified that idea. When she didn't respond, Karin glared at her. "It's your own fault. You should have just taken the opportunity when you had the chance."

"Karin!" Yuzu scolded.

"It's true isn't it," the black haired twin continued, "If you really want to go and sleep in Ichigo's room, we're not gonna stop you. Just make up your mind already." It was actually scary how Karin had such knowledge when she was only in high school but it still made sense to Rukia.

Turns out, the Nekojin didn't need much more encouragement than that. "You sure," she said, half-way out the door. "You don't mind…?"

"Just go and sleep with my brother, okay!"

Rukia rushed out the door at the black haired girl's insistence and didn't look back. "Finally," Karin sighed and lied down in her bed. "Now we can finally get some peace and quiet."

Yuzu frowned. "You're mean, Karin." She pouted as she shut off the light and prepared to sleep. "Even if you _are_ right…"

* * *

><p>Ichigo was about to drift off when he heard a small knocking. He slowly got up and opened the door to find Rukia glaring at him. They stood in silence for a second.<p>

"Well…"

"Well what, Midget?"

Pain instantly registered in Ichigo's shin and he barely noticed Rukia slip by him, her tail swishing in excitement. He patiently closed the door and turned to see Rukia examining his room. "Just come to see what it's like or…"

"I'm sleeping here." Rukia pointed to his closet and Ichigo cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Why would you sleep in my closet…?"

"Because I can!" Rukia kicked him again before sliding the closet open and jumping inside. The sight of the Nekojin jumping up into his closet, her tail flowing behind her, was incredibly cute and flustering. Ichigo ran to his closet in time for her to close the door.

"You're not sleeping in my closet!" he shouted.

"And why not?" her muffled voice came from within and Ichigo face-palmed before moving to pull open the door. "Because I say so now get out." He demanded before getting a good look at her. She sat in the corner, her tail wrapped around herself and her ears flattened against her head; she did not like being disturbed.

"No, I like it in here." She tried to convince him.

"Rukia, you can't sleep in my closet, it's creepy…"

"Get over it. You seemed so distraught at the idea of sleeping in the same bed as me so I figured I'd make it easier for both of us." She pushed him back and closed the door but he quickly reopened it.

"I wasn't distraught I was being courteous…" he tried to explain but Rukia kicked him in the face.

"Stay out! This is my room for the night."

Ichigo whirled back to her and shouted, "Rukia! Get out of my closet!"

"Make me!" she screamed back. Ichigo's eyes flared and he charged her with a growl. When he reached in and tried to pull her out she scratched his face. "Ow! Hey!" Rukia stuck her tongue out at him and flicked her tail his way. Oh, that was it! Ichigo jumped halfway inside the closet and grabbed her.

She shrieked and scratched at him but it didn't do any good. He ripped her out of his closet, kicking and screaming, and flung her onto the bed. She jumped up but he pounced on her and pinned her down, his face inches from hers. She glared at him and hissed like the pissed off kitty she was. This had the exact opposite effect on him; it turned him on more than anything.

Ichigo instantly realized they were in a compromising position and took full advantage of it. He straddled her and used his knees to hold down her legs. She squirmed and tried to break free but could not combat his superior weight.

"Hey! Just what are you…" she was instantly silenced by Ichigo kissing her full on the mouth. Her eyes widened in shock but she slowly began to give in. She began kissing him back passionately and Ichigo readjusted himself so he wasn't completely crushing her. His tongue pressed against her lips, begging for entrance as he tugged her closer.

Something clicked in Rukia's mind and she instantly opened her mouth to him. His tongue invaded her orifice and began exploring all she had to offer before she fought back with her own. A furious battle began with their tongue's dancing and groping at each other. Their hands explored the other's body and Ichigo began to gently message Rukia's breasts.

He heard her moan a bit in his mouth and continued to knead her soft breasts and caress her skin. He lifted his other hand up and gently scratched behind her ears. Rukia practically jumped when the feeling of ear scratching was combined with the soft caresses of her chest. The Nekojin gripped Ichigo tightly and dug her nails in, pain shot through him in reaction but it was well worth the ecstasy he was experiencing.

Just when the heat was rising and things were about to escalate, Rukia suddenly pushed Ichigo back.

He lost his balance, tumbled off the bed and onto the floor, missing the heat from her body already. He looked up to her with sad eyes and she smiled down at him, breathing heavily. "If we keep going," she took another large breath, "We might wake up your family…" she continued to gasp for air and smile at him.

The cute little Nekojin had a wondrous glow to her that was begging for more, her ears were perked up and irresistible and her tail seductively wrapped around her own leg. Even if she was right, it was painfully obvious she didn't want to stop either. However, they both knew that it was risky, especially in his house with his family so close…

Ichigo instantly jumped up and ran to his door, surprising the flustered Nekojin. Ichigo practically kicked his door open to find his father innocently smiling at him with a glass in his hand, a tool he often used to eavesdrop. As Ichigo glared him, Isshin slowly stood up and nervously laughed. "I was just getting some water…" The Dandelion's fierce glare intensified and Isshin knew it was all over for him. "So…got to second base, huh?"

Rukia heard a sickening crack come from the hallway and a moment later Ichigo returned with a scowl on his face. The Nekojin hated that scowl and when he sat next to her she gently hugged him. "Sorry…" she knew they both wanted it but in his family's house? Didn't seem like a great idea to her at least, despite how orgasmic it felt.

Ichigo scooped her up in his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It's not you," He confessed, "My old man's a constant pervert."

"And you're so different…" She grinned at him and he smirked back.

"_I _don't spy on other people while they're getting intimate," he sighed, "I'll make it up to you later."

Rukia smirked and did her usual trick of rubbing her head and ears against him to cheer him up, purring the entire time. "Promise?" she said seductively as she caressed him with her fluffy parts. He swooped in and gave her a passionate kiss.

"I promise."

They climbed into bed and Rukia curled up and used Ichigo as a pillow since they only had one. The bed was small but it worked with her snuggling in his arms. Ichigo marveled at how perfectly she fit into her arms and chest, smiling at her with delight as he softly caressed her dainty ears. Rukia deeply inhaled his intoxicating scent and began purring.

The rhythmic tones of her purring put them both to sleep in no time.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Things are getting pretty hot up in here! Trust me, it gets better!

Please Review and stay tuned for more!


	19. Thank You

We're The Same

Chapter 18: Thank You

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author Note: Warning there is a lemon in this chapter…you have been advise/warned.

* * *

><p>The next day, Isshin planned a family picnic in Ichigo's favorite park.<p>

Rukia kept grinning at him, a silent reminder that she had rescued him from those punks yesterday. Ichigo was kind of worried about running into them again but when they arrived, many families and couples occupied the area. There was no way that those guys were going to do anything in such a populated area.

Yuzu made lunch for them and again Rukia was floored by her culinary talents. Although she had tried to convince the family that she should wear her beanie and hide her tail, they furiously refused. Isshin even told her that if anyone gave her trouble he'd go all fatherly protective and defend her to his last breath…Ichigo punched his father for beating him to the punch.

So, there she sat, heritage out in the open, eating lunch with her Agitatee's family and enjoying the bright sunshine. After lunch, Isshin "conveniently" took the twins for a walk around the park, leaving Ichigo and Rukia to lay in the warm sunlight.

"I don't know why the wanted to give us time alone," Rukia joked as her head rested on his stomach. "We'll get plenty of that when we get back." There was a playfulness to her voice that she hoped Ichigo caught, luckily he did.

"They're just being nice," he stretched and placed a hand on her ears, lightly scratching. "They think they're doing us a favor. Let 'em think that way." Rukia purred lightly and her tail swished against him, slightly tickling him.

"I'm just sorry we have to leave so soon," the Nekojin confessed, their train left later on that afternoon. They had wanted to get back with enough time to get ready for class and beat the crap out of Urahara for blabbing her secret to Isshin. They still had Monday off but they really wanted some time to do their own thing, like hang out and play Jenga, much to Ichigo's chagrin.

They both found themselves settling in for a catnap when they heard a familiar scream. They both shot up and frantically looked around. Rukia abruptly turned to Ichigo.

"That was…"

"Yuzu's voice!" Ichigo yelled as he bolted off in the direction of the scream, Rukia nipping at his heels.

They ran up a small hill and gasped at the sight beyond it. Isshin was lying on the ground, head bloody. Yuzu was being held up off the ground by her neck and Karin was pinned to the ground under several pairs of boots. It was the gangsters that had attacked Ichigo yesterday. "Where's your asshole brother!" one of them shouted. "And the crazy Neko-bitch too!" another added. Yuzu struggled for air and the thugs grinned.

A fist crashed into the face of the guy holding Yuzu and he toppled to the ground with a grunt. As Yuzu fell, Rukia ran beneath her and caught her. "Yuzu! Are you alright!" the catgirl frantically asked. Yuzu coughed and managed to nod her head. Rukia set her down gently and turned back to the thugs.

Ichigo was seething and cracking his knuckles. The hooligans laughed and brandished metal pipes and baseball bats, thinking they were intimidating. Rukia stood next to Ichigo and glanced at him. Her eyes motioned to Karin and Ichigo nodded.

The thugs charged them but that was a fatal error. Ichigo took on the ones in front while Rukia charged the ones holding down Karin. Rukia was able to jump and plant her foot in the face of the first one but another grabbed her from behind in a headlock. She fell downward and pulled her arms free before smashing her fist into his crotch.

Karin was not done struggling either and managed to get out from under the last male and sank her teeth into his leg. As the thug screamed Rukia's heel collided with his jaw and he flew backwards. Rukia's ears and tail twitched in victory before another thug hit her in the back with a baseball bat. She fell forward and other thugs held her down.

Ichigo dispatched some of the other thugs but noticed Rukia in trouble. "Leave her alone!" he charged them but a metal pipe made contact with his head and he fell backwards. The thugs grabbed him and held him tight, not letting him go. They dragged him over to Rukia.

The leader, Tatsuou, emerged from the behind the group, covered in bandages from his beat down with Rukia. "No getting out of this one, Kurosaki." He maliciously grinned at Ichigo and pulled out a switchblade knife. Ichigo held his scowl until Tatsuou began to approach Rukia. Fear clouded Ichigo's eyes as the bastard roughly grabbed her hair and pulled her up. He seized one of her delicate ears and licked his lips.

"You bastard! Let her go!" Ichigo screamed as the knife wielding gangster lowered the blade to Rukia's cringing ears.

"You shoulda stayed out of this Neko-bitch!" Tatsuou growled at her as she struggled against his grip. "Say goodbye to those pretty little ears of yours…" Rukia grimaced and Ichigo's temper flared. With a horrifying scream, he broke free of his attackers and charged Tatsuou. He tackled him to the ground and wrestled the knife away from him before punching him in his already sore jaw.

Ichigo jumped up and attacked the men holding Rukia next. He tackled the group of them, giving Rukia the opportunity to free herself and rejoin the fight. She jumped and scratched at the tall guy that was about to deck Ichigo from behind and kicked him in the ribs. "Duck!" Ichigo shouted to her and she did without thought. The Dandelion kicked over top of her and got another one right in the face.

Karin went to Yuzu and helped her up as the ferocious couple beat down all of their attackers. When only a few of them were left, pain seared into Ichigo's arm. He looked to see blood dripping from his left humerus and he held it tight. "Ichigo!" Rukia ran to him, facing outward, ready to take on anyone that might hurt her Dandelion.

"That's it!" she heard a voice yell behind her. She turned to see Tatsuou pointing a gun at her. Ichigo realized that it must have been a bullet that grazed him and he stood in front of Rukia protectively. Tatsuou threateningly pointed the gun at them.

Just before her pulled the trigger, Tatsuou was lifted off the ground and thrown nearly twenty feet backwards, colliding with a tree. When he hit the ground his neck made horrify sound that made even Ichigo cringe. The gun went flying and everyone turned to an insanely furious Isshin glaring at them.

Blood was dripping from his head and he made no move to stop it. "Leave my family alone and get out of here. Right now." One of the thugs snuck up on him and tried to hit him with a pipe again. Isshin sidestepped and quickly disarmed him before snapping his arm. Another three charged him, Isshin easily dispatched them; a punch breaking one's nose, a throw dislodging another's shoulder, and two swift kicks shattering the last one's legs. The sickening sounds resonated through the area and the remaining thugs cringed in mortification.

"I will say it one more time. Leave my family alone or I will personally send you all to hell myself." Ichigo and Rukia gathered Yuzu and Karin and went to Isshin's side. When everyone was there Isshin glared at the punks with the fury of father, the most frightening glare anyone could produce.

"My wife loved this park," Isshin said abruptly, "So if I ever find you here again, I'll do far worse than this next time." He turned his back to them. "Now get out of my sight while I'm feeling merciful."

They scattered like the wind and the moment they were out of sight, Isshin fell to the ground. "Papa!" Yuzu cried as she ran to him. Rukia called the police and they quickly arrived and arrested the battered thugs. An ambulance tended to Isshin, who luckily didn't have a concussion. Ichigo remained silent as they bandaged his arm, the wound was not deep and he would recover in a few days. Isshin kept his goofy and aloof persona active while he was being treated but no one forgot what they'd seen. The fury of One Who Protects was not to be underestimated; something Ichigo had been proving his whole life.

Even a man as goofy and odd as Isshin would gladly give his life for his family, a trait his son also shared. As they returned to the house, Rukia couldn't help but envy Ichigo even more. There was no one in the entire Kuchiki family that would go so far for her, not even her brother.

The twins went upstairs to get fresh bandages for their father's head, leaving Ichigo and Rukia alone with him. After a few minutes of Isshin's normal craziness, Ichigo finally spoke up. "I'm sorry," was all he said before quietly leaving the house to stand outside. Rukia turned to his perplexed father.

"We ran into them yesterday and I caused a bit of trouble," she bowed her head, "They were there looking for me…I'm so sorry for all the trouble I caused you."

"There's nothing to apologize for," Isshin said in a serious tone. "It's not the first time we've dealt with these kinds of people." He glanced out the window to look at his son. "Ichigo always blames himself when these things happen; even though it's not at all his fault." Rukia gazed out the window and frowned at the sight of her Agitatee. Isshin placed a warm hand on her shoulder, she gazed back to see him smiling at her. "I saw how well you handled yourself today. The world needs more girls like you," he quickly joked before telling her, "Please take care of my son for me. I know I can depend on you."

Rukia smiled back and nodded. When the girls came back downstairs and Isshin resumed his playful mannerisms, Rukia excused herself and ventured out into the front yard. Ichigo stood completely still, hardly breathing. "Ichigo…" she called out. He glanced back and she saw tears streaming down his face.

"I-I couldn't protect them," he choked out turning away from her again. "If Dad hadn't been there…you all would have…" Two slender arms wrapped around his torso as he felt her embrace him from behind.

She hugged him tightly and whispered, "That's not true Ichigo, you saved me again. If you hadn't gotten back up when you did…" she hesitated at the memory and her ears flattened against her head but she continued nonetheless, "You did protect us, all of us. It's in your name after all," she glanced up at his bright hair, wishing she could see into his eyes. "You're 'The One Who Protects'. You proved it beyond a doubt today." Ichigo abruptly turned around and returned her embrace, gripping her tightly.

"I swear…I'll never let anyone hurt you ever again. I promise…" His words were the most beautiful thing Rukia had ever heard in her life. She closed her eyes and hugged him even tighter.

"And I'll always protect you too." She silently whispered back.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Ichigo and Rukia bid farewell to the Kurosaki family and headed back to Tokyo. She had fallen asleep on Ichigo's chest as the train departed the station. The teen smiled at her peaceful slumber and thought about how lucky he really was.<p>

This amazing, tough, sometimes gentle Nekojin had won over his family in less than two days. An unnatural feat. Ever since he met this crazy little kitty, his world had completely changed. He didn't fear what the future held for him, he wasn't afraid of all the obstacles he knew he'd face, thanks to her; he'd finally discovered what he wanted to do with his life. And as long as she was there with him, he knew he'd succeed.

When they got back to Ichigo's apartment they found a sigh on the door that read:

**Sorry for the inconvenience but we'll be out of town for the weekend. We will resume business on Tuesday. Thank you for your patience.**

** Kisuke Urahara**

The couple scoffed and headed into Ichigo's apartment, revenge would have to wait for another day. They quickly got settled back into their usual routine. Rukia lounged on the couch while Ichigo made them dinner. He prepared a tuna fish casserole, Rukia's favorite, and a tall glass of milk for both of them.

Rukia smirked when he brought it out to her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to tempt me, Dandelion." Ichigo scoffed and set their food down.

"I gotta find some way to repay you and this was the easiest thing I could think of. Besides, your cooking skills have claimed more victims than A swift smack shut him up. He turned back to start a playful argument but he found the Neko digging in to her food. Her tail swished and her ears twitched in delight as she consumed the meal.

Ichigo gave up on fighting and began eating himself. After dinner Ichigo washed the dishes and contemplated to himself. He wanted to tell Rukia about his decision, he finally knew what he wanted to study and why. It would be a long and hard road but to him it was well worth it. As long as she was there with him, he knew there was nothing that could stand in his way.

"I'm going to bed, Dandelion. Keep your distance." She shouted from the living room. He smirked to himself; she needed to be reminded of his exceptional sneaking skills. There was no way he'd let her have the bed without a fight.

He returned to the living room to find it empty, he glanced around and noticed that the door to his bedroom was open but completely dark. He slunk to the door and peeked in; he saw a figure underneath the sheets and grinned. He tossed off his clothes, aside from his boxers, and quietly crept into the room.

The Dandelion slowly made his way into the bed and suddenly wrapped his arms around…pillows?

His eyes widened and he turned around just in time for Rukia to pounce onto his chest, digging in with her nails. Ichigo cried out but Rukia silenced him with her mouth. After a quick, heated kiss she sat up on top of him, straddling his hips.

Ichigo opened his eyes to see her completely naked before him. His face turned three shades of red as his eyes explored her beautiful body. Her small but perk breasts and alluring ears and tail begged to be touched. "Meow" she rolled off her tongue as she crawled up him, her tail flowing behind her. She curved her hands into claw-like shapes and playfully batted her hands at him.

"What happened to 'keep your distance'?" the flushed Dandelion asked suggestively.

"I knew that'd get you in here…" the Nekojin seductively whispered, a sly look in her eyes. "Just to let you know, I'm expecting a lot from you." She bent her head down and furiously rubbed her fluffy ears against his chin, a boisterous purr erupting from her in earnest.

Ichigo took a brief moment to reach behind her and grasp her tail, making her squeal and shudder. He ran his hand down the length of her back and all the way along her fluffy appendage, twilling her tail in his hand when he reached the end. The Nekojin was unable to move as he continued to repeat the process. The way Ichigo caressed and played with her tail sent waves of pleasure through her petite frame.

"How am doing so far…?" Ichigo asks suddenly but before she could answer he grabbed her arms and forced the catgirl onto her back, reversing their positions. "I do have to pay you back somehow." Rukia smiled as she blushed underneath him, not fighting it but mildly disappointed that he was no longer fondling her tail.

"Condom?" She breathed and Ichigo moved to look at her with slight surprise clear in his amber gaze. "You don't have one?" she sounded disappointed but Ichigo smirked in response. The male bent down and gave her a passionate kiss before moving from the bed and advancing to his travel bag, the condoms he received from his father in the side pocket. He never thought he'd say this but…his Dad finally was on the ball for this one. Ichigo turned around to see his Nekojin on all fours, her tail swishing and her ears taunting him.

He practically rushed her and pinned her down on the bed below him. She squealed for a second before he silenced her with his tongue. She instantly reacted and began forcing her own little pink appendage against his. As a heated battle of tongues raged within their mouths, Ichigo let a hand come up and cup her breast, massaging gently. Rukia moaned slightly against his lips and Ichigo broke away from her, grinning.

"Thought you said I couldn't make you moan…"

Rukia reached up and roughly pulled him back to her, "Shut up and kiss me!" she demanded before slipping her tongue back inside his mouth. Ichigo didn't fight and settled back into their passionate tongue war. As the battle raged, Ichigo lifted both hands to her head and began furiously scratching her ears. For a moment, Rukia abruptly stopped, unable to react to all the attention her Agitatee was giving her. However, she quickly became accustomed and "fought" back with furious vitality.

After a little longer, Ichigo broke away and began kissing down her neck, his hands caressing her arms as he slid down. Rukia arched her back and encouraged him to continue. However, she winced when she lifted her back, pain from the attack in the park returning. Then, Ichigo abruptly pulled back and gazed down at her with worry in his eyes. "You okay?" he was obviously trying not to panic and she smiled at the concern.

"I guess I'll need a little more time to heal…"

"Should we stop…?" as he offered the cute Nekojin pushed up and frantically wrapped her arms, legs, and even tail around him.

"No, no, I'm fine!" she urged with lust beaming in her voice but also a pronounced nervousness. Even if she didn't admit it, she was scared of getting intimate with anyone. She wanted it, oh GOD did she want it but her nerves refused to calm themselves. Ichigo easily noticed. He smiled and slowly laid her back down on the mattress. The sunlit smile returned and filled her with untold joy and safety.

"We'll take it slow then." Rukia nodded, a little bit of the nervousness fading. The Nekojin rubbed her hand down his strong arms and felt the bandages from his gun wound, making Ichigo slightly wince in pain. Her eyes filled with worry and she turned to the injury. She found herself reaching to it; the Dandelion surprised as she slowly unwrapped the bandages and fully exposed his wound. It was healing nicely but Rukia didn't like it either way.

She pushed Ichigo up off her and gripped his arm, the unusual mix of power and gentleness behind her hold shocking the young man. The Nekojin slowly pulled it to her lips and gently kissed the wound, making Ichigo shudder. Rukia grinned up at him and slowly began licking the full length of the cut in short spurts. The sound of her little pink tongue caressing his wound was enthralling and it was all he could do not to force her back down and kiss her senseless.

Rukia gave him a final smirk and slowly lapped at the wound with all of her tongue. Ichigo lost it. He gripped her face and pulled her up to him, passionately resuming the flurry of tongue. He pulled back, huffing for air and said, "No fair, Midget. Teasing me like that."

The Nekojin smiled nervously, "Just taking some of the pressure off, Dandelion." Ichigo could see that her words were more for herself and him. "Maybe this'll help," He whispered as he bent in and gave her quick kiss on the lips but he didn't stop there. Be continued to kiss down her cheek and chin until he was caressing her neck with his lips. Rukia desperately appreciated how slow he was going, it made the event more sensual and less frightening.

He continued to "assault" her skin until he got to her left breast. He gently began licking, sending shockwaves through her system. She struggled to keep from moaning, not wanting to give in to him just yet. He noticed and began to carefully suckle her breast. At last, she gasped and a meow/moan erupted from her mouth. This persuaded Ichigo to go further and massaged her other breast while he sucked on its twin.

Waves of pleasure engulfed Rukia and she found herself breathing heavily and moaning under his touch. He suddenly switched breasts and she felt even more bursts of pleasure wash over her. She grabbed his head and forced him up, surprising him.

"My turn," she seductively suggested, taking the condom from his hand. She pulled off his boxers and his manhood popped out. It was like nothing she'd ever see before, sure she'd seen pictures but having a real penis in front of her, begging for attention…she now understood Ichigo's fascination with touching her ears and tail, though that was clearly less sexual than this. She took a deep breath and encouraged herself not to be frightened. After all, she did _want_ to do this for him.

A hand tapped her head and the Neko look up at her Dandelion, concern in his smile. "If you don't want to, you don't…" Rukia smiled and lifted her finger up to his lips, silencing him and maintaining her tough façade. Her fear slowly began to dissipate, knowing he was here to care for her.

She grinned at him slyly before tapping his manhood with her finger, making him shudder. Despite the nervous that threatened to engulf her, she slowly bent down and began licking the head of his penis. Ichigo's head shot up as she began to lick up and down the full length of his shaft.

After becoming accustomed to the rhythm, Rukia cautiously began to take him into her mouth. She moved his manhood in a little more during each stroke, bobbing her head up and down steadily, taking her time. Ichigo got a crazy idea and followed through; he gently placed his hand on her head, causing her to abruptly stop out of alarm. Then, he lightly scratched her delicate ears for her. Pleasure washed over her and the Neko girl was enticed to take more and more of him inside her warm mouth, a hum leaving her.

The mutual exchange continued for a few more moments before Ichigo saw her cat ears flatten as she took the full length of his shaft into her warm, wet mouth and throat. She pulled her head up and the warmth left his manhood. The lustful look on his face was all she needed to know she did a good job. She grinned at him and gently secured the condom in place.

She lay back and beckoned him to her with her tail, it flicked from him to her and he gently lay atop her. Ichigo accidently poked her entrance with his manhood and glanced into her eyes. Nervous and slightly frightened, Rukia gripped the sheet and carefully nodded to him. Ichigo smiled down at her and gently kissed her eager lips. "We'll take it slow."

"Right…" she exhaled and gripped the sheets tighter.

With that act of encouragement, Ichigo slowly pressed his shaft fully inside her. Rukia winced at the slight pain, her virginity now gone. Ichigo suddenly wrapped both arms around her and whispered, "If it's too much…we can wait." A single tear of joy slid down the Nekojin's face, thankful for such a wonderful man to be her first. She pushed him back and laid down, her entire body begging him to continue. A tough grin settled on her face as she looked up and met his gaze, turning him on even more.

She held her tough expression and commanded, "Its fine, Dandelion. Just hurry up before I change my mind." Ichigo was nervous but did as instructed and slowly began rocking his hips back and forth. Rukia endured the pain until it very slowly began turning into pleasure. She tried to hold in her voice but she began to moan and groan as he pumped in and out of her. The moment she moaned for him he began working in earnest to satisfy her. He reached his hand out and began messaging her ears while he thrust inside her. Rukia let her tail hook around him, as if to hold him in place and he welcomed the fluffy feeling of it rubbing against his back.

The world was melting and her senses only focus on Ichigo and herself. He released her ears and grabbed her hips, pulling her closer, thrusting faster and harder. She moaned his name as he leaned down and captured her lips in another passionate kiss, his tongue invading her mouth again. Ichigo knew he was close and pulled his mouth back from her.

"Rukia…I'm…" he tried to say but she stopped him.

"I'm…almost there…Ichigo…" she grunted as he continued. Ichigo endured and Rukia let out a wild moan that reflected her catlike instincts before falling back onto the bed. Ichigo's orgasm came as well and he collapsed beside her. They both breathed heavily but Ichigo pulled out of her and rolled over.

She instantly crawled up and onto his chest, her tail wrapping around his leg affectionately. "That…was…epic…!" Rukia huffed out between breaths. "I can't believe you were a virgin…"

"I wasn't…" His answer made her head shoot up and stared blankly at him.

"What?"

"I've had sex before…once," he defended.

Rukia playfully smacked his head and said, "And you neglected to tell me…why?" Ichigo grimaced and turned from her.

"Let's just say it wasn't the best experience…" Rukia didn't want to probe for information right now, he'd tell if and when he wanted to. She trusted him. The Nekojin lifted his hand and placed it on her head, indicating she wanted scratching. He instantly obliged and he used his other arm to cover them with the sheets.

She laid her head against his chest and purred softly, her energy quickly draining. He stopped scratching long enough to pull her chin up and give her one last passionate kiss. They settled back into bed, the catgirl snuggling up to the Dandelion.

As exhaustion took its toll, Rukia whispered into his chest, "Thank you, Ichigo." Ichigo smiled down at her pulled her tighter in his arms, feeling her tail wrap tighter around his leg.

"Thank _you_, Rukia."

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

So…street fights, crying, and sex all in one chapter…I'm on a roll! Anyone interested in who Ichigo's first time was…you'll find out next chapter!

Please Review and keep on smiling you frisky readers!


	20. House Call

We're The Same

Chapter 19: House Call

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

Author Note: So many of you have shown your support for me and it's truly heartwarming. Each review brings a smile to my face because it shows that you are having fun with my work, keep it up! I had no idea if anyone would like my writing in the beginning until my fellow writer, Vi0letbutterfly, complimented my work and gave me the courage to post my ideas. To all of you that favorited and subscribed-Thank you all!

* * *

><p>"Tell me!" Rukia shouted at Ichigo after breakfast. She'd pestered him all morning about who his first time was, never admitting that she was secretly disappointed that it wasn't her. Then again, if they were both virgins the deed probably would have been incredibly awkward.<p>

"I'm doing the dishes! I told you to wait until I'm done you impatient feline!" A plastic cup collided with his head and he turned to see the Nekojin grinning wide at him.

"More milk, Dandelion!" she shouted with a mischievous grin on her catlike face. Ichigo did not fail to notice the ethereal glow that surrounded her all morning. Her whole body was shining and her usually badass attitude had more enthusiasm. He certainly didn't have that feeling after his first time. He felt proud that he'd performed well, considering how awful it was with…

A tiny fist made contact with his side; he grunted and saw Rukia grinning at him. "I demand milk and…tell me who you slept with first!" she shouted quickly, her face blushing slightly. Her tail swiveled behind her and her ears were perked up and ready to listen. Sighing in defeat, Ichigo took her glass and filled it with milk. He filled it to the brim for an express purpose, Rukia played with her milk.

The Nekojin would set the glass down in front of her and lap up the milk with her little pink tongue, that is, until she could no longer reach the remaining liquid. As a joke, Ichigo had once offered her a saucer of milk, only to have it thrown back in his face with anger. She expressed that she may have feline instincts but that was incredibly insulting and degrading. However, she never complained if he filled her glass too high, both parties won in the end.

As she lapped up her third glass, he took a seat across the table from her and smiled at her. Rukia looked up at him, milk dripping down her chin. With that image in his mind, Ichigo could now die a happy man. "Her name was Senna." He told her abruptly. She pushed away her milk and listened intently.

"I met her when I was in high school. She was older than me and she thought I'd be fun to mess with. Little did I know that she made a habit of stealing poor inexperienced guy's virginity only to mock them later in front of her friends." As he told the story, the hairs on Rukia's neck bristled. Her tail straightened and her dainty ears flattened against her head, rage consuming her. How dare any girl take advantage of him like that! It should be a crime to do such thing to such a wonderful guy, and the punishment should be death by slow bleeding!

"It was all a game to her," the Dandelion continued, a sad smile plastered on his face. "We did it once, she kept insulting me the entire time. Told me I'd never be able to please a real woman. But you know me, always trying to help. So, I just kept trying to—"

"Enough!" Rukia slammed her hands down on the table. "I've heard more than enough," the Nekojin's eyes were downcast and her face twisted in anger. Ichigo smiled at her, a little more warmly.

"It's really no big deal…"

"Yes, it is!" she shot her head up to look at him. "How dare she! Really, how dare she do such a thing to you!...Why would you even go through with it anyway!" She knew she shouldn't ask anymore but her rage needed to be satisfied.

"I wanted to be accepted…" All rage faded from the Nekojin and she gazed at her Agitatee with a blank expression. "I just wanted to be accepted by the people around me. I was tired of being an outcast. Then one day, she offered and I fell for it, hook, line and sinker." He took note of the horrified expression that spread across her face. "Hey, I told you I had sex before not that I was proud of it. Besides," he reached out and began scratching her secret spot behind her ears, causing the Neko to close her eyes and purr. "It made me sure that the next time I did it, it'd be with someone special."

The Nekojin's smile widened and she forced her eyes open to stare into his amber eyes. Ichigo also found himself lost in her unique violet orbs. His sunlit smile returned and the glow around Rukia intensified. "You're such a sap, Dandelion." She chided as she moved closer to him.

"Just shut up and purr, Midget." Pain and pleasure filled Ichigo as Rukia drove her foot into his shin but even though his shin had seen better days, Ichigo knew that all was right in the world.

Or at least…his world.

* * *

><p>The end of the semester was upon them. Ichigo and Rukia collaborated on all the classes they shared and still found time to enjoy the secret runaway spot every now and again. Although Rukia was busier than ever, due to her business classes, she was able to make time to spend with Ichigo.<p>

Now that classes were finally finished, the argumentative couple could spend even more time together. Much to both their surprises, Rukia actually asked to be taken back to the Quincy's Paradise Club. She said it was so she could make up for last time but secretly she wanted an excuse to go somewhere fun with him and couldn't come up with anything remotely interesting. No matter how hard it would be, she truly wanted to get out more and become a more active person and it was all due to her Agitatee's presence.

She was in the midst of packing clothes for the weekend, contemplating how to get him back for calling her "femme fatale feline midget" when suddenly her phone rang. The Nekojin picked up the phone and her fluffy parts sagged when she read the caller. Byakuya Kuchiki.

Mentally, she put on her cold and distant personality and answered, "Hello Byakuya, how are you today?"

"I am well, thank you." His thanks had no sincerity at all. Instead, he continued speaking, "Rukia, I need you to return home as soon as possible. I have arranged for transport by train."

Her catlike featured drooped even more at his demand because it was not a request. "I understand, Byakuya. May I inquire as to the occasion for my swift return?" For the first time ever since she'd known him, he fell silent. It may have only lasted a moment but that was reason enough to fear it.

"It has been decided that you are to find a suitor as soon as possible. We have several suitable gentlemen asking for you and we see no reason to deny them their requests any longer." Rukia dropped her phone, her body frozen in place. Horror solidified in her eyes and she was unable to think, move or even breathe. "I look forward to see you. Goodbye." Byakuya's voice said over the phone at her feet. The call ended and tears began to well up in her eyes.

It was always a fear she had, that she would be bartered away by her own family but whereas in the past it wouldn't have mattered much, now everything was different. If she hadn't of met Ichigo, hadn't been saved by him, hadn't fallen in love with him, this would not be so heart wrenching. A suitor…for her. No doubt the Elders sought to use her as a bargaining chip, they had no care or respect for her or her kind.

She sank to the floor, her tail wrapping around her and her ears flattening. As the miserable Nekojin sobbed, her phone buzzed and she looked up. She gently picked it up and read a text from Ichigo.

_Yo Midget! What's keeping you? Playing with a ball of string or something? Hurry it up!_

A tear fell onto her phone as she read the message, her vision was blurry and she could hardly read it. She wiped her eyes and texted back…

_So impatient, Dandelion! Actually, something's come up and I can't come by tonight. I'll swing by tomorrow to deliver your usual beating so be ready!_

Her delicate hands shook as she typed that message. After it was sent she got a quick text back from him saying it was fine and he'd beat her up tomorrow. Rukia's shaky hands dropped her phone and her body was once again wracked by sobs.

Ichigo would never know that this was goodbye.

If a suitor was selected for her she would be forced to leave school immediately. Byakuya wasn't just asking her to come home; he was indicating that her time had run out. It seems the only value she was to her family was as a pretty little pawn for their game. The worst thing was, she knew she had no choice. If she told Ichigo he would raise hell and if he tried to do something to her family, they'd skewer him alive, not to mention make life for his family hell. The thought of Isshin or Yuzu or Karin suffering tore her delicate heart into pieces.

The Kuchiki's had powerful connections in everything; business, law, medicine. Ichigo would have no future if he turned them against him, once he was their enemy there would only be poverty and destitution awaiting him after graduation. She couldn't allow that. She vowed to protect him, always. Even if it meant that for the rest of her life she would be forced to belong to a man she refused to love, she could withstand it as long as Ichigo and his family were safe and secure.

This time, his stubbornness and physical strength was not enough to save her.

* * *

><p>The next day, Rukia sat alone on the train back to the Kuchiki Manor, heritage completely covered. She had reverted back to her introverted and closed off self that she knew she had to put up for the sake of her duty.<p>

She had left Tokyo without a single word to Ichigo, it pained her but she knew he'd do something stupid and ruin his own life for her. As sweet and appreciative as it was, she refused to willingly let him suffer. The resolute Nekojin was determined to keep _him_ safe this time, it was the least she could do for all the kindness and love he'd shown her.

It was all she could do for him now. She had entrusted a letter to the only person she could trust, besides Ichigo, her fellow Nekojin Yoruichi. Rukia did not mention anything and kept up her usual attitude so her fellow Neko wouldn't suspect anything. By now Ichigo would be reading the letter and she was certain that her heart was shattered and left behind in Tokyo.

Rukia silently let her tears fall as she gazed out the window of the train.

* * *

><p>Ichigo waited patiently for the crazy violent Nekojin to arrive. It was early afternoon and he knew she'd keep her word. She always did. All the while he was contemplating his new decision. He had found his path to follow in life and he wanted Rukia to be the first to hear it. He was getting excited and began pacing near the door. Then he heard someone approached and was blasted back when the door flew open.<p>

Yoruichi burst into Ichigo apartment, terrifying the young man. "Ichigo! We have a problem! And by 'we', I mean 'you'!" The Dandelion did not detect any hostility from the usually violent Nekojin woman, only fear and panic. Nevertheless, he jumped up and was attentive.

"Rukia's gone!" She shouted before he could ask.

His eyes widen and he rushed the catwoman. "What! Where is she! How did this happen! Tell me what happened, Yoruichi!" he screamed in her face like a madman.

She grabbed him and threw him to the ground on instinct before yelling back, "Just look!" she threw the letter at him, having broken her word and read it. She knew that something was wrong with her fellow Nekojin, even if her voice said otherwise her eyes were filled with a deep despair. Yoruichi decided she could handle the consequence of opening a simple letter. However, what was written there tore her apart and her soul screamed in anger.

Ichigo grabbed at the letter and read…

_Ichigo, My Dandelion. _

_By the time you read this, I'll have left Tokyo. It's not you or anything that happened between us. In fact quite the opposite, I was really getting into the groove of this whole relationship thing and loving every minute of it. However, upon my brother's request, I have to return to my family. I should have told you sooner but my brother is funding my tuition. However, he has recently decided that I am to quit pursuing a degree because he has selected a husband for me. After a great deal of thought and consideration, I have decided to honor my brother's request, not for myself but for you. My family is different than yours. They have powerful connections in all forms of business, medicine and even the government. Make no mistake, if you oppose them they _will_ bring their wrath down on not only you but your entire family. I will not be the reason your family suffers and more importantly, I will not allow you to suffer. You all are too good of people for that kind of thing to happen. These last few months together will stay in heart for the rest of my life and I hope you can forgive me for make such a selfish decision. Even if I never said it to you in person, I will say it for you on this paper._

_I love you, Ichigo Kurosaki. And I always will._

_Your Midget,_

_ Rukia Kuchiki._

Ichigo stared at the letter, his face expressionless. He reread it over and over but the words did not change. One thing he noticed were the scattered watermarks on the paper, as if it was soaked with tears. He gripped the paper tightly and scowled.

Finally, he closed his eyes and crumpled the note. Yoruichi stood perplexed by his actions, "Ichigo…What are you…?" The Dandelion turned around and sped off to his room. The Nekojin woman stood in place and heard scuffling and rummaging. The next she knew, Ichigo reemerged with a suitcase and his wallet in hand.

His face was unlike anything she'd ever seen before. He was smiling, confidently smiling like he knew exactly what he was doing and what he was in for. He stopped when he got close to her and said, "Tell Urahara that I'll be moving out. Effective…right now." His confidence never faded. Ichigo picked up his suitcase and headed for his door.

"Ichigo! Stop!" Yoruichi called out to him but he continued on.

"I don't have time to deal with you right now Yoruichi! I gotta find a way to find Rukia!" he shouted back, suddenly he felt a hand on his arm and his world went spinning. Yoruichi used his arm as leverage and flipped him onto the ground with a sickening thump. Unfazed, he slowly began to stand back up but the Nekowoman punched him in the face.

"Hold up, Ichigo!" she demanded. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?" she inquired as her tail swished in annoyance. Ichigo did not bother looking up at her. "How are you going find her and what are you going to do if you ever do? She made it clear that this was her choice and she did it for you! Can't you see that! There's nothing that can be done!" She turned her head away and sneered, "No matter how much we wish there was…"

A heavy silence filled the area briefly before…

"None of that matters to me." He said smiling up at his obstacle defiantly, shocking the Nekojin woman. "I promised to protect her and that's what I'm gonna do. If I have to drag her kicking and screaming out of that God-forsaken house then I'll gladly do it. Hell, I'd prefer it that way!" The shock on Yoruichi's face slowly began to fade as he continued, "She means everything to me…and I'm not going to stand by while she makes herself suffer just because she _thinks_ it'll help me." He stood up and grabbed his suitcase again. "Without her, I have no reason to keep going. She is my world…I love her."

He opened the door and quickly exited the building leaving Yoruichi with a tearful look on her face. "Ichigo!" she shouted once again, her voice forcing him to stop. She turned back to him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Thank you…for keeping your word to her."

Ichigo smiled brightly and turned to leave again when the Nekojin jumped and kicked him into the ground. "OW! What the hell was that for! Don't thank people then kick their asses, it's confusing!"

The Nekojin's tail swatted at him and she proclaimed, "Get up. We've got a long way to go!"

* * *

><p>By time Rukia had reached the Kuchiki Manor it was already dark. The servants led her to her brother's study and politely announced her. Byakuya called out to them, "Thank you." Rukia took that as the sign to enter and gently slid the door open. She positioned herself in the center of the room as her brother turned back to her.<p>

"Welcome home, Rukia. It is good to see you."

"Thank you, Brother." She bowed to him and he fully turned to face her.

"Although it is sudden, you should be aware that you will be meeting with your suitors tomorrow." He was all business, just like the rest of their family. He didn't even bother to ask how her trip went. "I expect you to be respectful and bring honor to your name. Rest well tonight."

Byakuya turned away from her and she bowed deeply again. "I understand. Good evening, Brother." She slowly stood up and exited the room. After she was gone, Byakuya stood and ventured to the adjacent room. Once inside, he sat in front of a small alter and gazed sadly at the picture of his late wife.

"I have done all I can for her, Hisana. I only wish I could have done more." He whispered silently. It was not his choice to call Rukia back and marry her off to someone undeserving of her. He had been losing the verbal battle with the Elders for years. They had originally planned to find her a suitor after her high school graduation but he had deterred them. However, their businesses were beginning to decline and they needed to form powerful friendships in the near future.

Byakuya held a deep hatred for the Elders, not only for making him force Rukia into a life she did not want but also because they still harbored hatred toward him for marrying Hisana. She had been a lovely but frail Nekojin that only wished to see her husband and sister happy but the Elder's ridiculed and persecuted her nonetheless. All the stress finally took its toll and she succumbed to illness only three years into their marriage.

It was an act that Byakuya would never forgive them for and he tried desperately to keep Rukia from their power hunger gazes. It had sadly not been enough and now they forced that same humiliation on Rukia and he could do nothing to stop it. If he defied the Elders again, his promise he made to his deceased parents to uphold the laws of his house would be broken. However, he was now breaking his just as sacred promise to late wife, to whom he'd sworn to protect Rukia.

Despite all his talents and skills, he was powerless to give Rukia the life she deserved. He wished he had spent more time finding a way to help his sister-in-law, instead of keeping her at an arm's length. It was too late for that now, the will of the Elders would be done and he didn't have the authority to stop them.

* * *

><p>Rukia was led to her old room; it was as simple and bland as it had always been. She removed her beanie and let her ears breathe, frustrated that she had to become accustomed to hiding them again. Hunger also plagued her but she dare not ask for a meal. When she was younger the servants would leave meat partially uncooked and bones in the fish. Often she was given her meals cold and had to survive on that alone.<p>

She was a filthy Nekojin in a noble human household, it was no wonder she was treated unfairly. It had been the same for her sister, insults and "accidents" plagued her until her health finally gave out. However, Rukia was not even allowed to mourn her beloved sister's death. She was told never to cry or show weakness, so she stood in front of her sister's grave with the strength and pride that was demanded of her.

Nothing had changed over the years. Each time she was forced to return for a visit, her tormentors did all they could to destroy her life. It was endurable before but after having felt such freedom and joy with Ichigo…Ichigo…

Her heritage slumped as she recalled him, his sunlit smile a fleeting fantasy now. The Nekojin shook her head and pushed such thoughts away. She had a duty to perform and there would be consequences of failure. It was not only her worry for Ichigo that pushed her to continue with the charade, it was the memory of her sister. Hisana had stayed strong and powerful till the end and Rukia would be sure to do the same.

As she settled in to sleep, she found herself feeling so cold and lonely. A feeling she hadn't felt since a certain Dandelion had come into her life.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Rukia was prepared by many servants to look her absolute best. Her hair was combed neatly, her ears and tail were brushed vigorously and she was fitted with an elegant red kimono with many flowers printed on it. Hair clips were also set in place and a lavish bow was tied to her tail, to add more appeal.<p>

Every chance they could, the servants would "accidently" stick her with a pin, pull too hard while combing her hair, jerk on her ears or tail, anything to make the experience more hellish. Rukia wanted to fight back, drive her foot into their faces or just plain punch them until her tiny hands were bleeding. She bit her lip to keep from losing control as they finished preparing her. At one point the servants held a mirror up for her and she inwardly shrieked at her appearance.

By many men's standards, she was the picture of beauty. In her own eyes, she was a gigantic stuffed toy that was made to be sold off to the highest bidder. All last night she had slept in that cold, dark bed, desperately missing the warmth of Ichigo and now she was made to keep up appearances and do her best for the honor of the Kuchiki House. The brave Nekojin knew she needed to stay strong. It was her dedication to keep him safe that held her together, even now. It didn't matter what happened to her, if he and his family were out of harm's way, she could endure anything.

"Sit up straight you nasty little creature!" one of the Elders shouted at her. "And for God's sakes will you please make an effort to show off your filthy animal features, will you! While not a redeeming quality it does entice our more…interesting of suitors."

Rukia repositioned herself and her dainty ears perked up as best she could manage. Her tail, however, lingered on the floor at her side. No matter how much she tried to force her delicate tail from the floor it sadly slumped, reflecting her true feelings of this farce.

She was made to sit and wait in the large meeting chamber, surrounded by the Kuchiki Elders, as her suitors filed in. They were all older and disgusting looking men, ranging from an emaciated, effeminate man to a fat, bald pervert. The moment they saw her they began speaking to each other loudly.

"Oh, look at this cute little kitty cat. Rawwwl!"

"I've always wanted a fluffy little catgirl to play with."

"My other wives will just adore her. We need another cat servant anyway."

During all of their comments, Rukia simply sat and smiled sweetly at them. They began boasting of their great wealth and how they were going make the "adorable little pussy cat" their own. The Kuchiki Elders boasted as well and everyone treated the Nekojin as if she was an object to be used for gain. Through it all, Rukia held her sweet smile and pretended to be honored with this choice, all the while dying on the inside.

"Well," a particularly older woman of the Kuchiki house said, "Shall we deliberate whom this little feline shall be given to?" The room fell silent and Rukia took the time to cautiously gaze around the room. Her brother was not among the spectators, though she could not fathom why. This was his greatest success with the Elders after all, why was he not present to take the credit?

Just as the suitors were about to being negotiating for the hand of the poor Nekojin girl, the side door slid open, bright sunlight streaming in. The silhouette of a tall figure stood in the doorway. The entire room silenced and they all turned to the new comer. The most striking point about this figure, was the bright orange hair that decorated his head.

Rukia gazed up at the figure and her eyes widen and her breath caught in her throat. Standing in the doorway was none other than Ichigo Kurosaki, dressed a lavish black business suit. He scanned the room until his eyes met his Agitator's.

As he smiled down at her the sun behind him grew even brighter and Rukia's violet eyes shone as he gazed into them. Her ears twitched and her tail at last lifted off the floor and gently swayed behind her. Despite his foolish intervention and the grave mistake he was undoubtedly making, the Nekojin could not help but allow feelings of joy and hope spring up in her soul. The tall, handsome Dandelion was not giving up on her yet.

As Ichigo spoke, his words were only for the petite Nekojin Midget, "Sorry, I'm late."

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

How is Ichigo going to get Rukia out of this one? I have a deep hatred for the Kuchiki Elders as well so it'll be good! Read on to find out!

Please Review and keep on smiling folks!


	21. Screw The Laws!

We're The Same

Chapter 20: Screw The Laws!

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Byakuya sat in this study, refusing to go to the meeting that would decide his sister's fate. Shame was all he felt; he had broken his word to his wife and was prepared to face the consequences in the after-life for his lack of courage. Whoever "obtained" his sister's hand would get a deadly glare and a vicious talking to before they escaped the estate, it was the very least he could do for her now. As he contemplated this, a knock suddenly vibrated through the small room.<p>

"I believe I gave instructions not to be disturbed. Please be so kind as to…" The door slid open and the tall, dark haired Nekojin, Yoruichi Shihoin, stepped into the room. Although the shock did not register on his face, the head of the Kuchiki House felt it's furious throes.

"Hello there, Byakuya. It's been quite a long time." She said without letting him speak. "I've come for a very specific purpose today." Byakuya glared at her form across the room, his anger evident.

"Yoruichi Shihoin, even if your family is connected to mine through business that is no excuse for such a disrespectful display." He turned away from her and back to his desk. "Please see yourself out. If you have pressing business, please speak to my—"

"I'm here about a certain Nekojin that getting the burnt end of the fish in this arrangement," she swiftly cut him off. "I think you understand what I'm talking about." The Nekojin woman leaned against the wall, folded her arms across her chest and patiently waited for him to reply.

"If you've come to ridicule me," he said without turning around. "Then I must ask you to wait for another occasion." He glared over his shoulder at her. "I am in no mood for your sharp tongue this day. Be gone." Yoruichi grinned and gazed toward the direction of the meeting hall.

"That's a shame. I came all this way help my dear student, Rukia, but her brother turns me away at the door. After all, you were the one who asked me to keep an eye on her while she was away at the University." The Nekojin woman's tail taunted him from across the room and her mischievous catlike smirk did nothing to instill confidence.

However, Byakuya did tilt his head and look back at her with a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Continue," he demanded, his voice firm and cold. Yoruichi knew she had him now, he was just as easy to manipulate as she remembered. Ever since they'd met as young adults they had been rivals. Well, Byakuya thought of them as enemies but it was all the same to the fun loving Nekojin.

Yoruichi let her smirk fade and honestly smiled at him, frightening yet encouraging the man. "What would you say if I offered you a way to keep both of these precious promises you hold so dear?"

* * *

><p>The entire meeting hall was silent as the tall, orange haired man interrupted their proceedings. No one understood the reason for his intrusion or who the young man was either. Judging by his clothes, he could be a last minute suitor that failed to notify them ahead of time.<p>

A particularly old and nasty looking Elder Kuchiki woman, Chiyo, frowned at the young man, her glare only beginning to intensify. How dare this ruffian show himself before them with such a wretched color atop his head? Even if he was a respectable suitor, which she highly doubted, his conduct was completely uncalled for! She stood from her seat and shouted, "What is the meaning of this! We have received no word of an additional suitor! Leave at once!"

Ichigo completely ignored the crazy old lady and instead strode into the room, stopping in front of Rukia. The Nekojin girl gazed up at the Dandelion as he held his hand out to her. Lost in a state of bliss, the Nekojin instantly gripped his outstretched hand and he pulled her to her feet. A defiant smirk appeared on his lips as he turned and addressed everyone…

"Well…it seems she's chosen me."

Ichigo tugged on her hand and gently pulled her toward the door. However, a menacing figure stood in their way; an infuriated Elder Chiyo glared at the courageous young man. She shifted her furious gaze to the Nekojin and commanded, "Rukia! Resume your seat this instant!" Ichigo tightened the grip on the catgirl's hand, refusing to let go. Like it or not, Rukia couldn't break away from him at the moment.

Chiyo's evil glare shifted back to Ichigo, who was growing impatient with the bitchy old woman. "You will leave the premises this instant, you lowly piece of trash. How dare one of your kind come barging in here—"

"Old Lady," Ichigo had a forced smile on his face, a clear sigh he was less than pleased with her. "Get out of my way or I make you get out of my way." His voice was calm and clear, no hesitation existed in it.

Elder Chiyo grew red with fury. "Insolent little bastard! I demand you release that creature immediately and—" the moment the older woman dared to call Rukia "that creature", Ichigo's eyes changed. Gone was the man of kindness and reason, only protection and anger dominated his mind.

He set a hand on the old lady's shoulder and gave her a very light shove or at least he thought it was light. The woman shrieked at the top of her lungs as she fell the short distance to the floor, not because of the force but because he actually dared to touch her! Ichigo wasted no time in opening the door and pulling Rukia along with him, shock all over her face.

He slammed the door shut behind them and vigorously pulled her down the hall. Shouting and exclamations were heard from the meeting room but no one dared follow. "We need to talk," Ichigo informed her as he roughly tugged her hand.

"No shit!" Rukia shouted, trying to keep up. Ichigo stopped and glanced back to her.

"Where's your room?" he asked so nonchalantly it was almost painful. Rukia tore her hand away and punched him in the gut, causing the Dandelion to double over.

The Nekojin strode in front of him, grabbed him by his bright orange locks, and pulled him along. "Hurry up, Dandelion!" she yelled as he gave a girly wail at his hair being pulled.

Rukia opened the door to her room and tossed him in. She locked the door and bravely approached him, her fists balled. "What the hell are you doing here?" she screamed as she hit him in the face. The tall Dandelion fell to the floor and raised an eyebrow up at her. "I thought I made it clear that you needed to stay away!" she delivered another punch and he gladly took it. "Do you _want_ to ruin your future?" This time he caught her fist and gazed up at her.

"My future was already ruined!" he exclaimed, standing up and towering over her. Anger clouded the Nekojin and she gritted her teeth at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she tried to kick him but her evaded. "Are saying that my being with you was ruining your future?" Her hand swiped at him and barely missed.

"No! I mean that you running out on me gave me no future at all!" he dodged another fist aimed at his face. "Would you just calm down so we can talk?" Rukia ignored his comment and went to kick him again. This time, her kimono caught her leg and she fell forward. She closed her eyes and braced for the fall but two strong arms caught her.

Her eyes snapped open and she realized that, once again, Ichigo had prevented her fall. She was breathing heavily and her heart was racing. She just didn't know what to do now. Even if she went back to the meeting hall, Ichigo would still be on the Kuchiki Family's shit list and there was no saving him now. As Ichigo set her upright she gazed up at him, as if asking what to do.

He gave a surprising answer…

"Why are dressed like a doll in an antique shop?" Rukia's eyes widen and her hand flew to her mouth, stifling a laugh. Finally, someone who realized how ridiculous she looked! He was back less than ten minutes and he already had her laughing. God, she had missed him!

"Turn around," she ordered. Ichigo raised an eyebrow but she glared at him and raised her fist at him. He instantly turned around and she discarded the red kimono but left the white under layer on. She sighed in relief and proclaimed, "Much better!" Ichigo turned around, drank in the image, and nodded.

"I agree…" His shin felt pain and he realized she was better equipped to hurt him now. Either way, she did look much better and not so dolled up. Rukia stretched her arms above her head, her tail and ears straightening out too. She glared at him and commanded, "Sit." He did so and she took a seat in front of him, cross legged and infinitely more comfortable. Sitting on her knees was entirely too painful and stupid looking in her opinion, Ichigo would have agreed.

"Now, tell me what the hell you're doing here. And it better be good!" Her tailed swished behind her and her ears perked up, a sight he missed seeing very much.

"I'm here to rescue you…" Rukia's fist collided with his face and knocked him over.

"I thought so!"

Ichigo struggled to get back up, hissing, "If you knew then why did you hit me?" She grabbed his flailing arm and pulled him up.

"The part about why that should matter as long as you're with me!" A perplexed look overtook Rukia's face and she froze in place. "How can they destroy my life if the only person that makes my life worth living is with me? The only way they can do that is by…I don't know…taking her away from me!" His voice nearly knocked her over. "Seriously, Rukia! Did you think I was just gonna go on with my life without you like nothing happened! I've told you this enough times but now I'm gonna spell it out nice and clear for you!"

He reached out and gently gripped her face in his hands. He smashed his lips on hers and her eyes widened in shock. He quickly pulled back and said directly in her face, "_You_ are my world, Rukia…and there's nothing you can do to change that." Her whole body felt tingly after that passionate kiss. Her ears and tail twitched and fluttered in unbridled delight and her mind was quickly melting.

She reached up and placed her hands on his face and pulled him into another kiss. She pulled back, breathing heavy and blushing. "I hate it when you pull that trick on me…it always works. You cheating Dandelion." She gently smiled at him.

Ichigo smirked at her and replied, "Get over it, violent Midget." Ichigo knew he never pulled _that_ kind of trick before but he forgave her, because she was smiling again.

"What now?" she nervously asked, the smile still visible on her lips.

"Get your stuff." He replied quickly. "Were getting the hell out of this festering hell hole!" The catgirl raised an eyebrow at him.

"You never plan things out before hand, what the hell is wrong with you?" the Nekojin asked as she stood and moved to pack her things. Ichigo scoffed, then smirked at her way.

"Your right, I just kind of wing it. That's why I've got back up…"

Although a little apprehensive about running from her family duties, Rukia could honestly care less about her family right now. Hisana would have understood, she would've even encouraged her little sister's choice. Byakuya was a frightening matter to contend with but it was too late to worry about that now. Rukia made her choice, she chose Ichigo over everything else.

Luckily, she didn't have much unpacked and it was easy to get it all back into her suitcase. She reached for the handle but Ichigo grabbed it first and easily lifted the large travel ware. He held his hand out to her and she eagerly took it.

As long as they avoided her brother surely they could find a way to…

"We need to get to your brother's study." The Dandelion blurted out, causing the Nekojin's mouth to gape at him. He was driving them to their deaths! It was like a snowman wanting beach front property on the sun…during the summer! That's how stupid her Agitatee was!

"No! We need to avoid him to live! Is that too hard for you to understand! He'll kill you!" Rukia pleaded/demanded, fear and panic in her voice. Byakuya was the only one that she would not be able to stand up to, the only one she'd be afraid to disobey.

"No, he won't." Ichigo answered defiantly, "I told you, I brought back up." Rukia wracked her brain but no one came up until…

"Oh, hell no…"

* * *

><p>Byakuya reread the contract in front of him for the third time, checking for any loopholes. "How long have you had these?" he asked the dark haired Neko woman. Yoruichi smirked at him.<p>

"Nearly a year. Figured it was best to be prepared." Her catlike grin annoyed him but he did find merit in her strategy. He had in front of him, completely filled out aside from his signature, the rights to transfer Rukia's guardianship from himself to Yoruichi.

"How am I to be sure she will be well provided for?" the business man asked, concern laced deep down in his question. The catwoman continued to egg him on.

"I may not be as loaded as you but I can definitely pay for her tuition." She answered, more than pleased with herself. She didn't look it but she came from a very rich family with just as many connections as the Kuchiki Family, maybe even more. "Besides, that girl's like daughter to me. I didn't watch out for her for last year just for kicks, ya know."

Although not completely satisfied, it was enough to convince the Kuchiki Head. Yoruichi had kept him well informed on many matters concerning Rukia. After he had ruthlessly scolded his sister for the fight she was in last semester, Yoruichi had called him and informed him of the truth. It was devastating to him but he did not possess the will to apologize for his actions.

Instead, he had Yoruichi keep a closer watch on her than usual. However, Yoruichi failed to notify him that Rukia had a little Dandelion in her life and that needed to be rectified, that's why she told Ichigo to bring Rukia to her brother's office after the "rescue". It would be an explosion but one she had waited for ever since Rukia first made mention of the orange haired youth.

Byakuya gave the paper one last look over before sighing to himself and reaching for a pen. He signed his name on the line and silently said a prayer to Hisana, informing her that he finally felt he'd done something good for Rukia.

Yoruichi grabbed the paper from him and smirked, "And with that, Rukia is officially under my care…by the way she has a boyfriend…"

Byakuya's pen snapped and his eyes narrowed. Before he could interrogate the deceitful Nekojin in front of him, his door flew open and there was his sister…with a young man whose hair was brighter than the sun!

"Perfect timing!" Yoruichi proclaimed. "Byakuya…Ichigo…Ichigo…Byakuya." Immediately, Byakuya made an assessment of the boy. His hair was too loud, his appearance was subpar and his defiant eyes bugged the businessman to no end.

"Yo!" Ichigo responded, followed immediately by Rukia smacking him in the face. "What was that for you crazy, cat Midget?"

"Don't insult my brother like that you asshole Dandelion!" she shouted at him, glaring all the while. In that moment, Byakuya made another assessment about the situation. Rukia was clearly the dominate one between them and aside from that, her fingers were laced between his own affectionately.

Despite the boyfriend aspect being dropped on him like this, the Kuchiki Head's soul was finally beginning to find peace. Byakuya was no fool, he knew Rukia was not the dainty little flower she pretended to be for their family. She was fierce and wild, just like her sister only more so. It was something he regretted having to suppress in her.

However, whoever this young boy was, he was able to bring out her innermost nature and had her comfortable enough to shout at him in front of her own brother. It was not enough to convince him the boy was worthy of her but it was a definite start. "Boy," he called out to the young man. "I wish to speak to you in private." He turned to Yoruichi and said, "Please inform Rukia of this development. I have a few questions for this…boyfriend." Ichigo courageously released Rukia's hand and stepped into the room.

Yoruichi nodded to Byakuya and pulled a panicking Rukia out of the room. The idea of her brother alone with Ichigo was bringing up horrid nightmares. Yoruichi patted her ears and whispered, "Ichigo can handle this. He's a lot tougher than anyone else, believe me!" Rukia forced herself to calm down but the worry still proved to be overwhelming. Yoruichi sighed and turned her fellow Nekojin's face to glare at her own. "This is important so listen..."

Rukia nodded and Yoruichi began explaining about the papers in her hand.

* * *

><p>For at least a minute, Byakuya stared directly into Ichigo's eyes, his arms folded across his chest. Ichigo returned the glare in kind and they sat, wordlessly judging one another. Ichigo wanted to punch this guy's light out for all he put Rukia through and Byakuya wanted to disembowel this delinquent for daring to be near his beloved little sister.<p>

It all evened out really…

However, Rukia was more important to them than that so they remained motionless and merely exchanged glances. After what seemed like an hour Byakuya's voice rang out, "What is your name, boy?" The businessman's tone was hard and cold, just as Ichigo expected.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." The boy's tone was as loud and unruly as his unusual hair, just as Byakuya expected. Byakuya huffed and Ichigo's glare intensified, he hated being judged so quickly and decisively.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya repeated, his voice commanding respect. "We have little time so I will get straight to the point…What is my sister's worth to you?"

Ichigo instantly fired back, "Don't talk about her like she's something that involves gain! If you're not going to respect her then I won't answer your question." Although his defiance upset the businessman, it also gave him great insight into the boy. The boy may have misread the question but he still came to Rukia's defense first and foremost, something Byakuya could undoubtedly respect.

"I will rephrase the question then," Byakuya replied, his voice still frigid and distant. "What does my sister mean to you?" Ichigo's eyes suddenly changed and Byakuya noted something extraordinary—confidence filled the young man so much it practically overflowed.

"If I had to choose between the world or her, the world would be screwed." Even if it was a vulgar analogy, it got the message across. Slowly, Byakuya's soul was becoming clearer and more resolute in letting his sister go. He uncrossed his arms and let them hang at his side, a sign of growing respect, even if the boy would never understand it.

"I have one more question for you, and then you may go." Ichigo hated the way this man was so demanding but it reminded him of Rukia which reminded him to be on his best behavior. "You have gone through a lot of trouble just to be with my sister so I must ask…How serious are you about her?"

The two questions were similar but also comparatively different. He first asked if he cared about his sister, now he asked if he was going to love and care for her for the rest of their lives. Quite a loaded question but one Ichigo had no trouble responding to.

Ichigo took a deep breath and allowed himself to smile brightly. "_She_ is the most important thing in my life and I will do whatever I need to do to make her happy." For the first time in many years, Byakuya's eyes widened. This boy had repeated the very same words he had defiantly proclaimed to the Kuchiki Elders over ten years ago.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback: Kuchiki Manor – Ten Years Ago<em>

_A young Byakuya Kuchiki stood with a lovely Nekojin girl at his side, facing down the glares of the Elders. He glared back at them while the Nekojin, Hisana, looked to him with concern. "You dare make such a request of us! Absurd!" the Elder's voice boomed. _

"_It is not absurd." He gestured to Hisana and said, "This is the woman I have chosen to marry. She is noble and strong, as well as kind and intelligent. There is no reason to reject this union!" _

"_Silence, boy!" a younger Elder Chiyo shouted. "She is filthy animal! She has no place among us and will only serve to drag our noble name through the mud!"_

"_It is not only that." Another Elder pointed out. "You also wish to adopt her younger sister into our noble house, how can you justify this atrocity?"_

_Byakuya's anger flared as he yelled back, "It is_ not_ an atrocity, don't you ever speak that way about her again!" Hisana glanced lovingly up at him and he smiled down at her, not caring that the Elders could see his affections. _

_The tension in the room intensified. "Nevertheless," Chiyo called out. "The laws of our clan are absolute. This union will never be—"_

_This woman had tried the limits of Byakuya's patients for the last time. "Screw the laws!" he shouted, causing everyone to gasp. He pulled Hisana close to himself and shouted "_She_ is the most important thing in my life and I will do whatever I need to do to make her happy!" He embraced her tightly and shot the Elders a final glare before storming out of the room with his beloved._

* * *

><p>As Byakuya glanced down with wide eyes at this boy, he knew the young man had made his decision. No matter how much he could hate this young man and all he stood for, he knew without a doubt that his opinion did not matter in the slightest to this brave young man.<p>

The business man recovered and cleared his throat. "I see," he closed his eyes and continued, "Be warned that if any harm comes to her…I will personally hunt you down and disembowel you for failing to protect her." It was the closest Ichigo was going to get to approval and it was all he needed.

"If anything happens to her, I'll kill myself before you get the chance to." He smirked, annoying the older man thoroughly. Just then, they heard an older voice scream something outside the room and they both turned to face it.

* * *

><p>"Okay, I'm a what now?" Rukia questioned for the third time, her ears deceiving her. Yoruichi sighed and tapped her fellow Nekojin on the head.<p>

"Basically, you're a Shihoin now, not a Kuchiki." Rukia seemed to actually register it this time. "As of now, I'm acting as your legal guardian so you have no obligation to the Kuchiki's anymore." The younger Nekojin continued to stare blankly at her. Yoruichi sighed again, "You're free to be with Ichigo now. Plain and simple."

Rukia blinked twice, "Is it really that easy?" Yoruichi scoffed, "Trust me it was a lot harder than you think…"

"There you are!"

The Nekojin women turned around to see a furious Elder Chiyo walking directly toward them. "You filthy little bitch!" Chiyo slapped Rukia across the face. "How dare you disgrace us in such a…an animalistic way! Come with me!" she gripped Rukia's arm and tugged but she went nowhere. She glared back at the catgirl and shouted, "How dare you disobey me!"

The older woman swung her hand back for another slap but Rukia caught it firmly in her hand. Rukia glared at the older woman, tightening her grip. "You will never speak that way to me ever again!" the Nekojin shouted, "You're a despicable woman who made my sister suffer and you deserve to rot in hell for such a thing!" Fear enveloped Chiyo as the young Nekojin berated her.

Rukia pushed the frightened Elder away and hissed at her with ferocity. Her tail stood straight up and her ears flattened to emphasis her rage. Chiyo slowly regained her anger, "How _dare _a filthy animal like you talk to your better like that!"

"You're not her better anymore!" Ichigo shouted suddenly appearing at Rukia's side, Byakuya not far behind. Ichigo turned to his Agitator and smiled, "Couldn't have done better myself…"

"No, you would've just punched her. I was being nice." Rukia retorted grinning back at him.

The instant Chiyo spotted Byakuya she shouted, "Byakuya! How can you allow her to treat me in such a disrespectful way! It is time to teach this disgusting beast a lesson!" The old woman was sure to win now or so she thought…

"Lady Chiyo, you are addressing an honored guest of our house and are acting rather shamefully." Byakuya's voice was laced with venom and Chiyo's demeanor began to crumble.

"H-Honored guest! This filthy beast is, regrettably, a member of our house and needs to be shown discipline!"

Byakuya stepped in front of his sister and glared down at the disgusting woman, he had waited years for this moment. "Lady Chiyo…I must inform you that we have made a fatal error in judgment." The old woman's eyes became nothing but perplexed. "It seems that Rukia had already been formally adopted into the Shihoin House before her arrival here. Rukia, herself, was unaware of this since she was not able to be contacted during her travel."

His glare continued to strike unending fear into his fellow Kuchiki. "I made a grave mistake in that I had forgotten about Miss Yoruichi Shihoin's request before I instructed my sister's return." He gestured to Yoruichi, who only grinned at the frightened woman. "It seems that all the paperwork was completed before we arranged for the suitors to meet with my sister. Therefore, she is no longer a part of our noble House and you have displayed a great amount of disrespect for her and her new household."

The older woman fumed, she would not give up so easily. "That does not excuse the rudeness of the ruffian behind you. The boy struck me!" Elder Chiyo shouted and Byakuya glared back at Ichigo.

"Is this true?" The business man politely asked.

Ichigo shrugged meekly, "No, I only gave her very light push but that was because she refused to stop blocking the door." The Dandelion defended himself. Byakuya nodded back to him.

"I see," Byakuya glared back at Chiyo. "I sent the boy to fetch my sister as soon as possible to avoid further problems with the situation but it seems you misunderstood and brought even more shame to our House. I am very disappointed in you, Lady Chiyo."

Even if they all knew it was a lie, the frightened Elder did not. Chiyo struggled to form words, "B-But…how can this be…?" she muttered as Byakuya partially bowed to her.

"The fault lies entirely with me and I will receive my punishment in due time." He quietly smiled to himself, pleased he'd been able to do something to protect his sister after so many years of unfair treatment. He lifted his head and his cold gaze pierced the horrible woman again. "I suggest acting with more dignity and respect, such as my sister has displayed for many years."

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Yoruichi added behind him. For once, Byakuya didn't mind her commentary on the subject. Yoruichi turned to the couple and said, "I think we've overstay our welcome." She bowed to Byakuya, followed by Rukia who pulled Ichigo down with her. "We will be in touch." They all lifted their heads and filed toward the front door. Rukia and Ichigo glanced back and stuck their tongues out at the miserable woman.

Byakuya watched them go before turning back to Chiyo. "Please endeavor not to drag out noble House's name through the mud any longer. That is all." And with that he returned to his study, leaving a humiliated Elder Chiyo to seethe.

Once back inside his study, Byakuya moved to the adjacent room and sat before the alter dedicated to his wife. He smiled to himself as he viewed the lovely picture of his beloved.

"It has taken many years…Hisana, but now you can rest easy. Rukia and I will be fine."

* * *

><p>It was dark and the road was completely empty, save for a single car on the lone highway.<p>

Yoruichi glanced at her rear view mirror as she drove her car back toward the beautiful city of Tokyo. In the image in the mirror, the Nekojin woman saw the young couple leaning against each other, peacefully sleeping in the back seat. Rukia's soft purring filled the area and Yoruichi noticed Ichigo's arm securely around her waist and his fingers intertwined with hers.

It was gonna be a long drive back but the view was more than forth it.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

That was epic! I loved writing that scene because I always like the Elders getting what they deserve! Ichigo, Rukia, Yoruichi and Byakuya kicked some verbal ass and taught everyone a valuable lesson…don't f**k with IchiRuki!

Side note: Anyone else find this new viewing format on the site awkward?

Please Review and thank you all for reading!


	22. Readjusting

We're The Same

Chapter 21: Readjusting

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Life was becoming a strange new world for Rukia Kuchiki…Well, Rukia Shihoin now.<p>

"What do you mean I have to move out?" Rukia shouted at her new guardian, Yoruichi. "I thought you said you could afford my tuition!" Yoruichi had called Rukia to her office in the girl's dorm and suddenly dropped this bomb on her. It had only been three days since her "rescue" from the Kuchiki Estate but already Yoruichi was in protective and authoritative mode.

The Nekojin woman sighed at the glare her new "daughter" was giving her. "I mean just what I said. That room is special and it would cost more than your tuition for three years just for a single semester."

That was a fact that Rukia was unaware of, she always knew that her brother had taken special precautions with her living arrangements but never imagined he paid so much for a single room. The Neko girl lost her fire and her fluffy parts drooped in unwelcome acceptance. "It's not that I can't pay for your tuition," Yoruichi continued, "I just don't want to spend so much on a single room when I could use that money for more important things."

Rukia scoffed, "More important things" often included clothes, balls of string, and as horrifying as it was to Rukia, catnip. She knew her former den mother well and was not surprised to discover that Yoruichi kept a nice supply of the feral inducing substance in her desk.

To Rukia, catnip was her worst enemy. Alcohol was water compared to how potent a reaction the petite Nekojin had to the stuff. Ever since her first exposure, she had done all she could to get away from it and had been successful so far. However, Yoruichi was a firm believer in one getting in touch with their animal side and had been shocked to learn that Rukia was such a lightweight when it came to the furiously addictive substance.

Either way, Rukia hated that she needed to move out and find a new place…speaking of which. "Where am I supposed to live? With you?" Yoruichi grimaced at the question, her face twisting in horror and her ears flattening in fright. "I'm guessing not." Rukia sighed, "At least tell me you have some sort of place lined up for me."

No matter how much she wanted to, Yoruichi held in her excitement and remained completely stone faced. "Yes, in fact you're all but ready to move in." Rukia nodded, waiting to hear more. "It's a nice little apartment that's close to campus; it's got plenty of space and full facilities. You will have a roommate though; they've been living there since the first semester began." The petite Nekojin shuddered at the thought of having a roommate, a new person to expose her heritage to.

Rukia took a deep, cleansing breath. She was sure she could handle this, it's not like she's incapable of dealing with other people. "Okay," Rukia confirmed with her guardian, "So I have a roommate, that'll be interesting. And just where is this new apartment?" A slight catlike smile formed on Yoruichi's face.

"Actually, it's very close to Kisuke's Candy Shop and…" Before she could continue, Rukia let out a big sigh of relief.

"Oh, good. I'll be close to Ichigo." Yoruichi sighed, disappointed in her fellow Nekojin's lack of understanding. "So when do I have to move out?" The Nekojin guardian didn't enjoy being cut off but it presented a new form of entertainment.

"Today." The older Nekojin woman informed her, tossing her a key on a cat toy keychain. Rukia barely caught the thing as it flew at her. Today…She needed to pack and move out _today_!

"That's way to short of notice!"

"New students will be arriving tomorrow and your room's been promised to someone else, so…"

Rukia stomped her foot, her ears and tail straightened in rage and she shouted, "And just how do you expect me to get all my stuff out of my room and to this new place without any help? I didn't exactly carry all my stuff in myself when I moved in!" That was the one handy thing about being a Kuchiki; she had people to help her move in, even if they did it with a disgusted attitude.

Yoruichi waved her hand and smiled, "Oh don't worry. I've taken care of that. I hired some help." Just then a knock came at the door. "There he is now." The door opened and Ichigo walked in, dressed in work clothes and a great big smile on his face.

"Yo, Midget. Ready to do this?"

The Nekojin's fury raged as she grabbed that paper weight on Yoruichi's desk and mercilessly threw it at the Dandelion. Luckily, he was able to dodge it, though, just barely. He furiously turned back to her, "What the hell was that for, ya psychopathic Midget!" he yelled in her face.

Her ears flattened and she kicked him in the shin with all her might. Ichigo's feet fell from underneath him and he toppled to the floor. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me! How could you be so…so…asshole-ish!" She ran out of the office and toward the exit. Ichigo was barely able to pick himself back up, even with Yoruichi's help. He glanced to Yoruichi for an answer.

"I figured she'd be happy about moving in with me. What the hell was that about?" Yoruichi enjoyed his perplexed look but didn't torture him.

"I didn't get around to telling her that she'd be moving in with _you_. I wanted it to be a surprise." Ichigo face-palmed, surprises never worked out well for the petite Nekojin, it was better to just be straightforward. Ichigo's shin would attest to that.

"Next time, just let me handle it." He ordered, making the Neko woman smirk. "I'll go get her."

He let go of Yoruichi and supported himself on his damage limb. "Good luck. I tried to find where she always runs off to but that little devil's too quick for me." Now it was Ichigo's turn to smirk.

"I think I have some ideas. You just leave the Midget to me, alright?"

"Are _you_ her guardian now?" The Neko woman asked as Ichigo limped to the door and grabbed the handle. He grinned back at her with a playful gaze.

"I was guarding her long before you got in the way." He closed the door and quickly limped after his Nekojin Agitator. Yoruichi smiled and resumed her seat at the desk, her tail dancing happily around her. Rukia was one lucky girl to have that kind of guy in her life.

* * *

><p>Ichigo made his way to the secret runaway spot. The moment he arrived he noticed a familiar tail and set of ears lying on the grass. He slowly limped over and cautiously laid beside the unmoving figure. Ichigo would have been concerned if he hadn't seen her ears twitch and tail flick in his direction, a clear sign that she knew he was there and wanted him to come closer.<p>

"Sorry." The Dandelion glanced at the violent Nekojin; her eyes were open and staring into the sky. "I kind of overreacted and took it out on you. My bad, Dandelion." A hand flew past her vision and rested on her ears, a light scratching followed.

"I still can't feel my leg, Midget."

Rukia let out a quiet purr, "Deal with it, Dandelion. I already apologized." Ichigo smirked at her.

"I never said that I forgave you…" The Nekojin reached over and grabbed his shirt; she pulled him into a passionate kiss and quickly released him. Ichigo's smirk changed to a smile and he added, "Okay, _now_ I forgive you."

"Keep scratching then." Rukia ordered as his hand had ceased to please her. He gladly did so, fully aware that she was the one in control in their relationship. It didn't matter to him though, as long as she continued to be with him, he had absolutely no fear.

"I still can't believe she making me move. I'd rather move in with you instead of some random apartment with some random asshole anyway." The Nekojin's voice ruined the moment but Ichigo couldn't care less. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Yoruichi asked me to give you this. It's your new address."

Rukia reached up and unfolded the paper; she read the address and instantly smacked his head. He fully expected it though and only grinned at her. "You two made me look like a jackass! You'd better be ready for the consequences, roommate!"

Ichigo responded by rubbing her ears with even more vigor than usual. "I think I can deal." Rukia let the waves of pleasure engulf her, her cute little tail swishing along the grass. It was the perfect afternoon for a little cat nap but Ichigo had one last bit of business to clear up.

The Dandelion knew he didn't need to say anything right away but he figured this was the best time. "I-uh, I made a decision." Rukia leaned up and turned her head to him, her ears perked and ready to listen. "I've decided what I want to do for the rest of my life…besides get beat on by a crazy cat Midget." The Nekojin smirked and playfully swatted him before she laid her head on his chest, customary for visiting the secret runaway spot.

"And that would be…"

The orange haired youth cleared his throat, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I wanna own a clinic." Although surprised, Rukia did not move from her spot. "I want my clinic to be a place that anyone can walk into and be welcome. I want to help as many people as I can, regardless of what race they are. I want to do whatever I can to protect as many people as possible with the same talent that my old man has." He'd never say it but he truly envied his dad's medical skills ever since he was a boy.

"But most of all," he pulled her face up to gaze into her stunning violet orbs while she also lost herself in his amber eyes. "I want you to be there with me, keeping me in line." At this moment, he produced a smile that the sun itself would be jealous of. "Will you always be there with me, to keep the rain at bay?" His honesty and compassion radiated from him and Rukia knew that there was no other choice to be made…She belonged with him. She returned the smile and nodded affectionately.

He kissed her lightly on the lips and set her back down in his chest. The Nekojin snuggled up to him, wrapping her tail around them both. "Stupid, Dandelion. You didn't even need to ask…"

* * *

><p>The next semester came and went by pretty quickly. Ichigo began taking medical classes and Rukia dropped most of her business ones. She still intended to graduate with a business degree but that was only because she figured one of them needed to be familiar with it. You can't just open a clinic overnight, ya know.<p>

However, Rukia balanced her schedule to include some art classes, mainly the ones Ukitake taught. Kyoraku became Ichigo and Rukia's new advisor, making it easier to get into the same classes. Yoruichi continued to goad and poke fun at them at every turn but was always on the lookout for miscreants that might cause them problems.

Rukia had also grown accustomed to living with her crazy Dandelion and for the most part, it was very nice. They slept in the same bed and snuggled almost every evening. Other than the time when he walked in on her using his walls as a scratching post. "They're just so plain! I'm giving them character!" she had earnestly defended herself, making Ichigo roll on the ground with laughter followed by a severe beating for his "insensitivity".

The Nekojin was embarrassed each time he caught her doing something catlike, he always needed ammo against her whenever he could get it. He just didn't have anything embarrassing to hide so Rukia would often retaliate with a kick to the shin…followed by a quick make-out session. All in all, life was going pretty well. Although, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.

One day, Ichigo was waiting for Rukia outside her business class when he felt a group behind him. Takeshi and his gang glared at him but he tried to ignore them, it only aggravated them. "Yo, furry freak." Takeshi chided, making Ichigo glare at him. "Waiting for your furry little companion…"

"Why the hell do you care?" Ichigo shot back, already pissed. "What we do isn't any of your business. Just leave us the hell alone, alright." He abruptly turned back and paid them no mind. Takeshi grabbed his shoulder and turned him back to them.

"You may have some of the instructors fooled but not us." The punk's words perplexed the Dandelion and he found himself listening. "You two think you're so great, don't you? Like the whole world should love and respect you because a human and Neko are dating. It makes me sick!"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed but he refrained from attacking. He promised Rukia, Yoruichi, Ukitake and even Kyoraku not to get into anymore fights on campus; it could hurt his future reputation as a physician. Instead, he calmly asked, "Why does her being a Nekojin bother you so much? What's the problem with accepting who you are?"

Takeshi raised an eyebrow at him. "Who said I had a problem with her being a Nekojin? I just don't like the stuck up bitch." Ichigo grabbed him but only held him firm.

"What did you say?" Ichigo's voice was oddly desperate and Takeshi pulled free easily. He readjusted his clothes and glared at his foe.

"I never had a problem with her being a cat, she was just so stuck up and it pissed me off. I don't care that she's a Neko, I just don't like her. That's all."

"Is that so…?" The young men looked up to see Rukia approaching them, oddly calmly too. Her ears were flattened and her tail was stiff as she approached, a sign of reluctant aggression. She walked right up to them and smirked. "You don't like the way I do things, huh?" The Nekojin Agitator shot her Agitatee a look that demanded he stay out of this, he reluctantly obeyed.

Noticing that Ichigo didn't step up, Takeshi fiercely glared down at her. "Yeah, your attitude pisses me off. What right do you have to go around smirking at people like you're better than them all the time? Grow some humility, ya crazy Neko-bitch."

Ichigo nearly lunged at him but Rukia's hand stopped him. She returned Takeshi's look in earnest. "This is how I am and I refuse to change because you don't like it. That's your problem, not mine." She turned from the group and pulled Ichigo with her; she glanced back and shouted, "I'm not so much of a monster that I have to put other people down just to feel better about myself. I don't turn my back on people just because I dislike them. Sure, I don't associate with them but at the very least I don't allow them be tormented just for being who they are."

Rukia tugged on Ichigo and they calm walked away, leaving Takeshi and his gang perplexed and dissatisfied.

* * *

><p>Aizen was not satisfied with how things were going on <em>his<em> campus. Nekojin defense had been on the rise and it all began with that impertinent Neko-bitch Rukia! Ever since Kyoraku and Ukitake began cracking down on prejudice, things had gotten risky for the learned professor.

Slowly, his students began to turn on him, embracing the peaceful polices of this rivals. It was becoming more than he could stand. How could these foolish little children not see the flaw that came with supporting the Nekojin? But that was about to change, one straw could break the camel's back and the straw Aizen presented was more than deadly.

"You needed a favor, Mr. Aizen." A man with silver hair and slits for eyes sat in Aizen's dark office. The wicked grin on his face was more than terrifying, it inspired nightmares of the foulest kind. Just the sort of man Aizen would need for this.

"Yes, Gin Ichimaru. I have a task I need you to carry out, post haste." Aizen's kind smile finally showed signs of wickedness.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

When Gin's involved, you know things are gonna be bad for Rukia! What's gonna happen! Read on to find out.

We're approaching the finale! It's still a ways off but it's been an incredible journey that we'll see through to the end!

Please Review and keep smiling folks!


	23. Payback

We're The Same

Chapter 22: Payback

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>The club, Quincy's Paradise, hadn't changed bit since they'd last been there. Again, the instant they walked in, Rukia played with the fish from outside the giant fish tank. Ichigo smirked but she forgave him this time. After all, it was her suggestion to come here again. Both had semi-casual clothes that would be perfect for dancing and Rukia was hoping to hear Joe Inoue again.<p>

Ichigo called ahead, remembering the offer the owner had made during their last visit. They were let in ahead of the crowd and two familiar faces greeted them as they entered. "Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm glad you took me up on my offer. It's a pleasure to have you here." Uryu Ishida said as they approached, his wife Orihime smiling next to him.

"I'm so glad you could both make it." She bowed to them slightly, "Sorry about last time, I promise tonight will make up for my earlier rudeness." Rukia lightly sighed, remembering her own troubles the last time they came.

"I'm just glad you could make time for us," Ichigo said loudly, trying not to be drowned out by the music.

"Thanks for the invite!" Rukia shouted next to him, purposefully starting the Dandelion.

"Not at all. Please, come this way." Uryu led them up a narrow flight of stairs and into a private room. Rukia's ears and tail danced with excitement as she realized they were overlooking the entire club. The area was quieter and she could talk without shouting, a nice change. Various snacks and drinks were already situated around the room, including a particularly frightening bowl.

The Nekojin glared at it and hissed, "No! No! Not those again!" Orihime noticed her outburst and cautiously picked up the bowl of Catnip Crackers.

"Would you like one?" she asked, completely oblivious to the Nekojin's cries. She took a step toward Rukia and the catgirl took a step back. They repeated this for nearly a minute until Uryu took the bowl from his wife. "I'm sorry about that. I have these specially made for my Nekojin customers, they really seem to like them but I'm guessing you had a bad experience." The owner took them from the room, not wanting to upset her.

Rukia politely nodded as he left and Orihime's eyes sunk. "I'm sorry, I just thought it might be fun to let some inhibitions go." The Nekojin smiled at her and slowly approached.

"It's fine. I just can't really control my urges." Orihime looked up hopefully, "Thanks for having us here. This room looks new…"

"It is!" Orihime shouted, regaining her vitality, much to Rukia's delight. She hated to see such a nice woman get to down just because of her. "Uryu came up with the idea to rent rooms like this out to private parties! Normally it's very expensive but for you two, it's on the house!"

Ichigo joined them and replied, "That's really nice of you but you don't have to…" A tiny fist abruptly, and secretly, made contact with his side. He wheezed in pain and instantly recognized what happened. His Nekojin Agitator withdrew her arm, surreptitiously, and smiled even brighter to Orihime.

"You two are so good to us and we'll be happy to accept your hospitality," she gave a menacing glare to her Agitatee, "Right, Ichigo?"

"…Yeah." He managed to choke out weakly. Orihime smiled and Uryu returned to the room. He introduced them to the state of the art, easy to use, music system. A small area for dancing was set up in the back with couches and chairs surrounding the floor. Rukia's fluffy parts twitched as she selected nothing but Joe Inoue music to dance to. Ichigo chose some other favorites and Uryu and Orihime smiled at them.

"If you need anything, let us know…"

The Nekojin shot her head back at them and called out, "You're leaving? I thought you were gonna stay and test the new room with us." The disappointment was evident in her voice and the way her ears and tail suddenly drooped. The older couple shared a confused look.

"We thought you'd want to be alone…" Orihime suggested before Rukia's heritage perked up in high gear.

"We live together! You can't get more alone time than that! Stay and have fun with us!" In truth, the petite Nekojin wanted more people around just because she had no other friends. She loved hanging with Ichigo but spending time with other people _and_ Ichigo was a dream come true. She knew her Agitatee would protect her and she felt courageous.

Luckily, Ichigo agreed. "Yeah, if you can spare the time, let's all enjoy this stuff together. You probably don't get a chance to test this stuff yourselves do you?" Uryu looked suggestively at his wife and she instantly squealed with joy and rushed to join them. Apparently, the older woman never lost her innocent state of mind and was soon dancing along with the, surprisingly light on her feet, Nekojin.

Rukia "forced" Ichigo to dance with her and Uryu allowed his wife to toss him about as well. At one point, Ichigo secretly inserted a slow dance song. The moment the song hit their ears, Rukia eyes widened and she noticed the older couple tenderly holding each other while dancing. She turned to see Ichigo hold his hand out to her, making her blush.

"I-I don't know how do that crap." She protested as she tried to walk away, embarrassed about how he wanted something so intimate. Truth be told, she did too. That's why when he caught her arm and pulled into a half-embrace, half-dance; she didn't fight…too much. The Nekojin clumsily stepped on his feet several times and tried to push away but the Dandelion held her firm.

"Its fine, Midget. You do worse on a daily basis."

Rukia wanted to smack him but he pulled out his secret weapon. He used one hand to lightly scratch the secret spot behind her dainty ears. Almost instantly, she let her head rest on his chest and her tail wrapped around his waist as he held her close. "I'll get you back for this," she threatened with a heavy blush.

"Sounds fun." He whispered back, holding her close to his chest, marveling how well she fit in his arms. The song came to an end and Ichigo excused himself to get to the restroom, which was all the way down stairs.

"We should really install bathrooms up here, Uryu." Orihime protested as she sat on his lap and giggled. Ichigo barely caught that as he closed the door and ventured into the zone of unending loud music. He finished his business and was on his way back to the room when he accidently bumped into someone. His eyes widened as he recognized who it was.

"Senna!"

An older girl with dark hair tied up in a bun, wearing a slutty looking dress and too much make-up glanced at him. "Hey! Ichigo! Long time no see! Never expect to see you in a place like this!" shouted louder than anyone else in the club. "So, what's up! Still the same _loser_ you always were!" She laughed even louder than she spoke and he could tell it was directed _at_ him.

"Fuck off, Senna!" his words shocked her and he turned to leave but a hand with long nails gripped into his shoulder. Pain shot through his arm as she spun him back around to her, her teeth gritted in anger.

"Don't talk to me like that you arrogant piece of shit!" she slapped him across the face and his cheeks stung like crazy. She had always been abusive and took every chance she got to beat on him. It wasn't like Rukia, who did it out of playfulness and joy. No, Senna just enjoyed hurting people in any way possible. He glanced back at her, eyes watering from the pain. "I see you're still the same little bitch that can't figure out what it means to be cool!" she sneered and laughed.

Ichigo desperately wanted to hit her back but his pride as a gentleman refused to let him. "We done here?" He retorted, "Cause I'm out." He turned to leave but she grabbed his collar and tugged him back.

"I didn't hear and apology for being such a shit! Now get to apologizing before I have my boyfriend teach you a lesson!" She pointed a very large man with muscles the size of a bench press. "Why don't you get on your knees and beg for forgiveness? It'll be like back in the old days!" Senna jeered as she pointed to the floor. The glare Ichigo gave her only caused dark-haired woman to laugh.

"HEY! Leave Ichigo alone!" a familiar voice shouted out from behind Ichigo. He turned to see Rukia, the fury evident in her eyes, ears and tail; she was ready to pounce. The moment Senna spotted the Neko, she burst into laughter and pointed one manicured finger at her.

"OH…MY…GOD!" she pointed back at Ichigo, "You're such a loser that the only kind of woman you can get is a cat-bitch! I knew you were pathetic but this is an all-time low!" She roared with laughter until a small fist made contact with her face. Senna flew back and clutched her face in agony.

"You fucking cat-bitch!" the older girl shouted as she picked herself up. "I'll kill you!" Senna rushed Rukia, only to have the Nekojin duck and deliver a sickening sounding uppercut to the bitchy woman's chin. As Senna fell to the ground and squealed in pain, Rukia walked up to her and planted her foot on her chest.

"_You're_ the bitch that ruined my Agitatee's first time? You're not even worth half the effort I put into this but I really wanted to kick your ass so I went all out!" She pressed her foot into Senna harder. "Listen up, bitch! Anyone who talks about Ichigo like that will answer to me! He's too good for a stuck of whore like you so get out of my sight before I get angry!"

Rukia released the whiny woman and let her crawl away. The Nekojin turned back to Ichigo and shouted, "And _you_! Don't just let her walk all over you like that! Hit her back next time or…" she punched him in the gut, "I'll kick your ass myself, Dandelion!"

Despite the pain, Ichigo was astounded by the way she came to his rescue like that. Was that how it always looked when he came to save her? No wonder she always hit him afterwards, this was freaking embarrassing! Just then, a bruiser of a man appeared behind Rukia, Senna far behind him.

"That's the bitch who hit me!" Senna screamed at the gigantic man.

The massive man cracked his knuckles and said, "I don't care if you are a girly Neko-bitch, I'm gonna…" Rukia's foot was suddenly planted in the guy's crotch; making him squeal like a little girl. As he leaned over to clutch his manhood, Rukia grabbed his hair and crashed her skull against his own, knocking the giant to the floor.

As Ichigo watched the spectacle with wide eyes, he slowly began to smile at his Agitator. This tiny, petite, Nekojin girl had just fought a gigantic man for him and didn't even break a sweat…His love for her grew even more intense by the minute!

The bouncers rushed to the scene and instantly spotted Rukia and Ichigo. "Ah, Mr. Ishida's special guests! Are these people bothering you?" Rukia flicked her hair nodded to them. "We'll see them out!" the bouncers grabbed a kicking and screaming Senna and dragged her and her boyfriend out of the establishment.

Rukia turned back to a stunned Ichigo and walked up to him. Before she could say anymore, Ichigo grabbed her and pulled her into a furious kiss. As he broke away, he said, "That was the most epic thing I've ever seen in my life!" Rukia stared up at him in awe until her pulled her back toward their private room. "We need to tell the Ishida's to go!" he informed her.

"Why?" she demanded to know, yet interested in what he had in mind. Ichigo lustfully smirked back at her.

"We need private time!" The moment the Nekojin heard that lustful tone, she increased her pace and smiled seductively at him.

* * *

><p>"Are you prepared for this, Gin?" Aizen asked as his "friend" prepared to venture out into the night.<p>

"Oh, most certainly." The silver haired man responded, an evil glint in his slit eyes. Aizen smiled at him and handed him a picture.

"This is the one, make sure to have plenty of fun with her." Gin took the photo and nearly drooled at the image of a certain petite Nekojin. His mouth watered and his slit eyes finally opened to reveal dark red orbs lustfully glare at the image.

"It'll be my pleasure…"

* * *

><p>"You're not going to class." Ichigo said as he pulled a thermometer out of Rukia's mouth and read it. Rukia coughed but still managed to glare at her overprotective roommate.<p>

"I (cough) need to go to class," she tried to get up, "I have a test." Ichigo pushed her back down and recovered her with his blanket. She was so weak that she couldn't even fight back. Ichigo had been sick earlier that week and since she lived with him, she now had it.

"I'll tell the instructor. It'll be fine." Ichigo gave her a light kiss on the forehead and felt the heat radiating from her. No way was he letting her out in her condition. "Listen, I have to work. I'll be right next door at Urahara's so call me if you need me."

"What I (cough) _need_ is to go to (cough) class!" she insisted but he had none of it.

"For once, please just listen to me." She breathed heavily but listened nonetheless, "I'll make sure that you graduate on time, trust me. Just for today, please just rest and don't do anything stupid."

Rukia tried to lift her hand to smack him but it fell short. Finally, she gave in. "Alright, just for today…" she slowly fell into slumber. Her class wasn't for another three hours so she figured she could sleep until then and then quietly sneak out to take the test. Ichigo would barely miss her.

The Dandelion rubbed her fluffy ears and lightly kissed her cheek before venturing next door to begin his shift. Two hours later, Rukia awoke and still felt groggy and sick. However, she convinced herself that she was fine, showered and put on her clothes. Making sure Ichigo didn't see, she snuck out of the apartment and slowly walked toward class.

Along the way, her head throbbed and her vision became slightly blurred. She shook her head and regained her wits before continuing on. Her tail sagged and her ears flattened as she forced her legs to continue to carry her forward. This was not going to be an easy trip.

* * *

><p>She hadn't noticed him at all. He'd luckily spotted her when she left her apartment, a perfect opportunity. Slowly, he crept behind her, keeping a safe distance. He checked to make sure that no one was around. There was a dimly lit street with a long patch of darkness ahead, a most fortuitous place for him to begin his fun time.<p>

Gin Ichimaru grinned to himself and lick his lips. This was gonna be more than just a favor, this was a hunt for a succulent prey!

* * *

><p>Rukia breathed heavily and leaned against a fence, her strength finally giving out. It was stupid of her to try this but she was too stubborn to admit it. All she wanted was to get a good grade so she could learn how to manage a business for Ichigo. It was all for him but he had told her to stay home and she should have listened.<p>

"I guess (cough) I'll head back."

Suddenly, her world spun as something grabbed her but she didn't have the energy to scream.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

I'm not happy about this cliffhanger either…

Next week will be the final update. As a bonus, I will be uploading the last three chapters for you then.

Please Review and keep on smiling.


	24. All Your Fault

We're The Same

Chapter 23: All Your Fault

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>The world spun as Rukia's head made contact with the cold, hard cement. Her fluffy ears were ringing and her body felt like it weighed a ton. Her vision was blurry but she could see a man advancing down on her.<p>

"Hello, little Rukia. Be a good little kitty cat now," the stranger gripped her clothes and began tearing them off. "And don't struggle…" Even in this desperate situation, the Nekojin refused to give up. She weakly lifted her arms and swatted at the man lying on top of her. Her actions infuriated her offender and he painfully gripped her ears with one hand, causing her to grunt in pain.

"Stupid…little…Neko-bitch." he screeched at her. "If you'd of just played nice then I wouldn't have to get so violent." His free hand finally ripped her shirt off and her delicate skin was exposed to the night air. Her tail was pinned under her and twisted in a painful position but still he pressed his body onto her. He gripped her arms and held them over her head. Her vision swam and she could barely register what was happening. She heard the sound of pants falling and her tired eyes widened.

"Cry for me…little Neko-whore." The horrible man proclaimed before he slowly lowered himself at her, ready to tear off her remaining clothes. Rukia squeezed her eyes shut, tears beginning to form. She had no strength left now…her body too weak to fight against the horrid fate that awaited her.

However, nothing happened, in fact, the weight on her suddenly decreased. She heard the sound of a man screaming and furious sounds of fists connecting with bone. However, her body finally ran out of energy and her head fell back against the pavement. The last image she saw was of a young man standing over her but she could not see who it was.

With her last bit of strength she whispered, "I'm…sorry…Ichigo…"

* * *

><p>Ichigo finished his shift at Urahara's early and headed next door to check on Rukia. When he entered the apartment, he noticed that the lights in the bedroom were off. He assumed that she must be asleep and decided not to disturb her. As if on cue, his phone rang. He looked to see a call from…Rukia?<p>

The Dandelion chuckled, thinking she was calling him from less than twenty feet away. "Yo, Midget. Need something?" The voice on the other end of the phone put Ichigo into shock.

"Ichigo…Its Takeshi."

Instant panic flooded Ichigo as he burst into his bedroom to see the bed empty and Rukia's shoes gone. Then a new feeling consumed him…rage! "Where the hell is Rukia? What have you done to her?" Ichigo shouted at the top of his lung into the phone.

Almost instantly, Takeshi calmly answered, "She's in the hospital." Ichigo's rage lessened and for a moment he lost the will to speak. Rukia…his Rukia…the adorable, catlike, lovable, sweet, endearing, hopeful, beautiful Nekojin girl he loved more than anything in the world…was in the hospital…why…WHY? Why was his Agitator in the hospital? She should be home sleeping!

"She's being taken care of in the hospital a few block from campus," Takeshi's voice came back over the phone. "Get here as soon as you can." The line went dead. Ichigo wasted no time, he sprinted toward the door and off toward the hospital.

Only one thought invaded his mind…Whoever hurt her was a dead man!

* * *

><p>Ichigo rushed into the infirmary and sped toward the emergency room. As he neared the door, he spotted a hateful figure. Takeshi sat on a nearby bench, silently contemplating. That matter little to Ichigo.<p>

"_TAKESHI!" _

Takeshi looked up to have a fist crash into his face, forcing him against a wall. An instant later Ichigo grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up to his level. Takeshi could see the rage, concern and sadness clearly swirling in Ichigo's eyes and for the first time, he felt guilt. "What the hell did you do to Rukia?" The Dandelion shouted, shaking his fellow student.

Takeshi grabbed Ichigo as well and shouted back, "I saved her! Idiot!" Ichigo didn't believe him and screamed, "Then why is she in the hospital?" He tightened his grip and Takeshi could barely breathe.

"Let me go…and I'll tell you!" The punk choked out. Ichigo's rage subsided when he noticed several people staring at him. He took a deep breath and released Takeshi, who took in large breaths of air. Both of them took a moment to calmly breathe before Takeshi resumed his seat on the bench.

Ichigo bared down at him. "Now, tell me what happened." He proclaimed with obvious concern in this voice. Takeshi sighed deeply and said…

"I spotted her on my way to my buddies' place…"

* * *

><p><em>Flashback: A few hours ago…<em>

_Takeshi and two of his buddies were heading down the dimly lit street toward their buddies' house when one of them pointed across the street. "Yo, Takeshi. Ain't that the Neko-bitch?" Takeshi glanced over and instantly recognized the displeasing girl. _

"_Yeah," he noticed how wobbly her steps were and how she barely was able to keep upright. "What the hell is up with her? It's like she's drunk…or…some…" Takeshi noticed a strange figure behind her. An older man with short silver hair was cautiously pursuing the Nekojin. At first he thought maybe they guy knew the stuck up Neko-bitch but then the punk got a look at the man's face. _

_A maniacal grin was plastered all over the man's features and it made Takeshi sick to his stomach. He wanted to ignore the guy, let the bitch get what she deserved, that is until the older man jumped her. He grabbed her tail and pulled her back, gripping the back of her head and slamming her into the pavement. _

_Takeshi froze. None of his other friends were watching anymore, they had already turned away and were oblivious to the scene. He saw the silver haired man climb on top of her and begin ripping at her shirt, the Nekojin's tiny hands reaching up, unable to stop her attacker. At that moment…something snapped._

_Takeshi bolted for the man and his friends turned back and called out, "Takeshi! What's up?" He ignored them and charged for the man directly. As he got closer he saw the Nekojin's bloodshot eyes, tears falling down her cheeks. From out of nowhere he grappled the man on top of her and threw him to the ground at his side. The attacker screamed, not expecting to be interrupted. _

_Before the silver haired attacker could regain his wits, Takeshi ran up to him and shouted, "You fucking BASTARD!" He delivered a bone crushing uppercut to the man's jaw, sending him falling to his knees._

_Then, Takeshi's friends appeared behind the man and brought their fists down on his head. The attacker fell to the ground and Takeshi and his friends began to kick and punch at the despicable man. When the man was bloody and unconscious, they finally stopped. _

_Takeshi turned to his friends. "Call an ambulance!" he shouted to one of them. "Call the police!" he instructed the other as he walked toward Rukia_

_The battered Nekojin glanced up at him, her eyes glazing over. "I'm…sorry…Ichigo…" She whispered as she finally fell unconscious. Takeshi could no longer see the tough, bitchy Nekojin girl that he had tormented during the last few years. He only saw the battered, bleeding, helpless girl before him. In that instant, he utterly hated himself. _

_The ambulance arrived and Takeshi rode with them to the hospital. Not having Ichigo's number or knowing where he lived, Takeshi couldn't think of a way to inform him of this tragedy. Not until the hospital staff handed him Rukia's cell. Nervously, he dialed the number…_

* * *

><p>Ichigo stood, flabbergasted at this story. At first, he thought it must be a lie, that Takeshi and his gang must have been the ones responsible…But then why would Takeshi bother to take her to the hospital or call him? As much as he wanted to deny it, it was Takeshi that had saved Rukia this time, not him.<p>

"Why?" Ichigo suddenly asked, getting the punks attention. "You hate Rukia. Why would you do this for her?" Unbeknownst to him, tears were forming it the corner of his eyes. For the first time since he'd met the punk, Takeshi smiled at him.

"I'm not so much of a monster that I'm just gonna leave a girl to be raped, ya know." Ichigo's head fell and he remembered something.

Takeshi's words shocked Ichigo back to the other day, when Rukia had scolded the punk for being such a heartless monster. Ichigo weakly smiled and placed a hand on this fellow student's shoulder. He lifted his head, tears streaming down his cheeks and said, "Thank you…"

Takeshi resumed his usual grin and pulled Ichigo's arm off him. "Don't get me wrong…I still don't like her…I just…didn't think she deserved to have _that_ happen to her. That's all." The punk turned and headed for the exit and called back. "I'm out. You deal with the rest, Furry Freak."

Ichigo smiled as Takeshi left because this time, it wasn't really an insult.

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Ichigo asked as he stood outside Rukia's room, nothing but concern in his voice. The female doctor next to him smiled. "She's going to be fine. A few days of rest and plenty of attention will fix the problem." Ichigo smiled wide and breathed a sigh of relief.<p>

The doctor, Retsu Unohana, giggled at his display. "You're just like my husband said." Ichigo stopped and stared back at her. Before he could ask, Unohana returned a kind smile to him and said, "Jushiro Ukitake is my husband. I'm not surprised you didn't make the connection. I kept my family name after our marriage."

Ichigo gave a quick laugh, no wonder she was so accommodating to him. He wasn't supposed to be allowed to see Rukia but she let him in the instant he told her his name. She easily identified Rukia as "the Nekojin artist" her husband often raved about and Ichigo as "the brash, overprotective boyfriend" her husband admired for his bravery.

"I see," Ichigo finally responded. "If it's all right…can I see her now?" There was no possible way to refuse a boy with so much love and concern in his voice. Unohana nodded and smiled, opening the door for him.

"You're free to stay with her as long as you like. I'll talk to the nurses and let them know." Ichigo quickly nodded back and rushed into the room, Unohana gently closing the door behind him.

The moment the Dandelion spotted the peacefully sleeping Midget, her chest rising and falling in sweet slumber, he finally let himself relax. Ichigo pulled up a chair and leaned on the bed next to her. He carefully reached his hand out and very gently rubbed her ears between his fingers. A soft, unconscious purr came out of Rukia the moment he began rubbing. Ichigo smiled down at her, tears sliding down his face.

"I missed you too, Midget…"

* * *

><p>Warmth surrounded her, like she was encased in nothing but the rays of the sun. She also smelled <em>his<em> scent, the scent of her magnificent Dandelion. Slowly, Rukia's eyes opened and her vision came back to her. She was groggy and her head hurt a bit but other than that she felt fine. The Nekojin slowly leaned up and noticed a hand drop from her dainty ears.

She looked over to see an unconscious Ichigo leaning against her bedside as he slept. Rukia instantly smiled and reached her hand out to him, running her hand through his hair. A warm and calm feeling engulfed her and she felt completely safe with him by her side. As she rubbed, he slowly began to stir.

The Nekojin retracted her hand and readjusted herself to let her tail stick out the side of the bed. Ichigo slowly came back to the waking world and the first thing he saw was his wonderful Nekojin Agitator smiling down at him.

"Rukia!" he proclaimed as he pulled her into a hug, startling her. She would have hit him but she didn't have the heart. She returned the embrace and whispered, "Long time no see, Dandelion." Ichigo gave a quick laugh at her comment. She never changed. They pulled back and Rukia asked what happened to her, her memory of the last night pretty hazy.

Ichigo explained the situation and more. She was shocked that it was Takeshi that saved her, almost too shocked to believe it. "I still say it was you who saved me," she protested as Ichigo playfully sighed.

"How did I save you when I wasn't there?"

Rukia smiled at him. "Because you always save me. Even when you're not there." Her words perplexed him so she continued, "If you hadn't saved me after we met, there's no way I'd be the person I am now. Without you, I'd still be a shy, anti-social Nekojin that didn't want to cause problems. Without you, I'd have been married off to some fat rich guy just to satisfy my adopted family. Without you, I wouldn't have stood up to Takeshi and he wouldn't have saved me. So, really…This is all your fault."

Ichigo reached his hands out, scratching her ears and holding her hand tightly. "Nice excuse, Midget." Just for today, she decided not to beat on him.

Next, Ichigo informed her that while she was asleep, Kyoraku and Ukitake had visited and told him exactly what happened to the assailant. Gin Ichimaru had confessed and informed the police that it was Sosuke Aizen that put him up to it, not that Rukia was terribly surprised. However, the police were still trying to get evidence of his involvement and could not make an arrest quite yet.

Rukia sighed deeply. "Can't we just shoot the bastard?" she half-joked. Ichigo laughed and said, "Well, at the very least, his teaching days are over." The Nekojin's smile widened as her eyelids began to grow heavy.

Ichigo rubbed her ears and held her hand tightly in his own. She gently laid back down and stared into Ichigo's vibrant amber gaze. She allowed herself to close her eyes but felt him lean in and kiss her forehead tenderly. "I love you…Rukia," she heard him say, making her smile affectionately and open her deep violet eyes to him.

The Nekojin motioned for him to lean in and he did. She then lifted her head up and lightly kissed his lips. "I love you…Ichigo." They smiled to each other, feeling a warmth and happiness that only came from the love of another.

It had been done. They both had said it, aloud and to each other. No more needed to be said. Rukia let her head rest back down on the fluffy pillow while Ichigo continued to lightly scratch her ears. The Nekojin's soft purring washed over him and he laid his head down next to her.

"We're so weird..." Ichigo whispered, making Rukia smile wider.

"Just you, Dandelion…"

* * *

><p>To Be Continued…<p>

Bet you never expected Takeshi to save the day, huh? I'm just glad he did. Next time, Ichigo has a little chat with Aizen. Plus another surprise…

Please Review and keep on smiling for the happy couple.


	25. Just Say Yes!

We're The Same

Chapter 24: Just Say Yes!

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Aizen sat in his dark office, his glasses sitting on his desk. He rubbed his eyes and sighed deeply. How had it come to this? It was only last year that he practically held the entire campus in his pocket. Now not only was he removed from teaching and education permanently, but his fatal miscalculation would lead to prison time as well.<p>

It was simply unfathomable! How had this happened? How could everyone not see that he was trying to expose the filthy Neko-bitch for what she was? How dare those punks foil his plans to put those filthy animals back in their place under mankind! He pounded his fist on this desk and gave a loud grunt.

A knock sounded at the door and he abruptly looked up. It was most likely the police. He knew that with Gin's confession and statements from Kyoraku, Ukitake and that filthy bitch Yoruichi, it was only a matter of time before they were able to arrest him. He replaced his glasses and called out, "Come in." His voice showed none of his anger, frustration or desperation.

The door opened and the most prominent reason for his dismissal walked into his office…Ichigo Kurosaki. The bright haired man had a blank look on his face as he confronted the man who nearly destroyed his world. Aizen was honestly surprised but then again, not completely. It only made sense for the freaky bleached boy to come seeking revenge for his actions; such was the nature of foolish animals.

"Yo, asshole. Let's chat." Ichigo said as he took a seat in front of this adversary. Aizen's façade did not waver, despite the anger he would no doubt be facing.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. What brings you to my once humble office?" Aizen stifled a laugh, "Actually, there's no need to ask is there?" Aizen once again removed his glasses and tossed them on the desk. Without his spectacles, he looked far more menacing than before but nowhere near as ominous as the young man sitting across the oak. "I will not hide from my actions. I make no excuses and I have no regrets for them either—".

"I just have one question for you." The Dandelion cut him off, infuriating him. Though, Aizen remained quiet and waited as Ichigo stared into his eyes, gazing deep into the despicable man's soul. "Why do you hate Nekojin?"

The question stopped the disgraced teacher. It certainly wasn't what he expected to hear from the young man. "It's not all that complicated really," Aizen began, "It's simply how I've always viewed them." Ichigo listened carefully, keeping his rage in check. "When I was a boy, my father taught me that humans were the absolute authority in this world and anything less was to be weeded out by those of us who were strong enough to bear the burden."

Aizen got up from his desk and turned his back to Ichigo as he continued, "All I have done is follow what I know to be true." The calm man glared back at Ichigo. "Nekojin are deceitful, monstrous creatures that offer nothing but unreasonable pleas for acceptance. If they wished to be accepted then they should earn acceptance by learning their place in the world. However, they simply refuse to acknowledge this and persist in claiming they are equal to us. They do nothing but spread misery and discord through this world made solely for humans."

Aizen was impressed that the young man had not attacked him by now; he knew Ichigo was no stranger to violence and he was sure to be angered by the older man's words. However, Ichigo remained silent, he remember his promise to Yoruichi, Kyoraku and Ukitake. If he attacked Aizen it would only strengthen the guilty man's defense and potentially give him an advantage in court.

Aizen's plan to use Ichigo to help alleviate pressure had now failed, seeing the calm look in the determined young man's eyes. "Frankly, I'm surprised." Aizen continued, "I would have expected the little monster to claw out my throat herself for what I've done. Or perhaps I've finally instilled humility into the raving beast?"

Ironically, Ichigo grinned and chuckled. "Actually, I'm having our landlord stay with her at the moment. To make sure she doesn't follow me and kick your ass herself." Ichigo's grin widened. "I had to practically tie her to the bed just to get her to stay away from you. Honesty, I did you a favor."

Ichigo now stood and glanced at the formerly intimidating man. "Ya know, it's funny…I used to hate you. In fact, I still do but only because I pity you so much." Aizen's eyes slightly widened at this outrageous comment. Pity! For him! How dare that little delinquent talk to him like that!

Before he could explode his rage, Ichigo continued, "You and I, we're not all that different, really. We each saw the same thing in this world and interpreted it differently." Ichigo's eyes flashed at Aizen, a most frightening visage. "You saw only the horrible aspects because that's what you were always told. I saw both the positive and negative aspects of the Nekojin because that's what I was told and shown. In the end, that's the only thing that separates us…how we were raised. You were raised to be narrow-minded. Plain and simple. I was not."

Instead of anger, understanding flooded Aizen. He was still furious but for a new reason. Aizen realized that everything that had happened, the chain reaction that began his downfall, was Ichigo Kurosaki's arrival and interference in this school. In less than a year, the boy had single-handedly turned the school against the professor, humiliated him in all aspects and removed him from his position permanently. No matter how much Aizen despised the frightening young man, he found himself rather impressed as well.

Ichigo did nothing but follow his beliefs and that was more than enough to topple Aizen from his position, in both life and in the education world. And the worst part was, Aizen completely failed to realize it until now. Sad how Aizen had done the same, followed his instinct and beliefs, and yet he still failed…how was that so? What made Ichigo Kurosaki so special?

"Perhaps you are correct," Aizen responded at last. "Perhaps we are both merely victims of circumstance and the world simple chose to side with you and not me." He paused and chuckled a bit. "I was betrayed by the very world I sought to protect. However, I still believe that the course I followed was the right one and I have no regrets for my actions."

Ichigo sadly smiled down at the floor and whispered, "I see…"

Just then, a loud knock came at the door and a moment later, it opened and two armed policemen entered the room. "Sosuke Aizen. We have a warrant for your arrest. Please come with us." A boisterous policeman proclaimed. Aizen shrugged and calmly approached them. As they cuffed his hands behind his back, the former instructor glanced back at Ichigo and said, "Someday, your trust will betray you…just as it did me."

As the policemen escorted the despicable man out, Ichigo had only one though on his mind. Aizen was a victim of his own fear and hatred, instilled in him by the people who raised him and encouraged his detestation. If he had grown up with the love and tenderness that Ichigo had been blessed with…would he have turned out different?

As the Dandelion stood in the dark office, he sighed to himself and said, "Your trust was betrayed because you never had trust to begin with…However," Ichigo departed the room and began making his way towards his apartment. "I chose to trust…and to protect."

* * *

><p>Ichigo found that Rukia had indeed left the apartment to pursue him. Urahara apologized but it didn't seem very heartfelt. Though, the Dandelion knew exactly where to look.<p>

The Nekojin lay in the warm sunlight of the secret runaway spot, her body fully recovered from her ordeal. It had been nearly six months since her attack and her body was finally back up to speed, aside from the lack of exercise she got while recovering.

Despite her experience, knowing Ichigo was there for her made her feel safe, no matter how far she was from him. She closed her eyes and her ears and tail danced in merriment at the sensation of the wind caressing her skin and the sun beaming down on her.

Then the sunlight was gone and she opened her eyes to see her Agitatee standing over her, his smile replaced the light of the sun. The Nekojin smiled back and said, "You're blocking my sun, Dandelion." Ichigo refused to move so she punched his shin, forcing him to yelp and fall over. "That's better…" Rukia grinned as he fell next to her.

Ichigo immediately shouted, "Is there medical insurance against you or am I just screwed!"

"You're screwed…" Rukia moved to smack him but he caught her arm. She was surprised when he suddenly jumped up on top of her, grabbed her other arm and pinned them both above her head.

Ichigo immediately shouted, "Is there medical insurance against you or am I just screwed!"

"Now who's screwed—". He chided until she grinned and head-butted him when his face was close. He released her arms and she pushed him over, reversing their situation. The Nekojin sat on his abdomen, her tail brushing against his legs, her ears twitching in happiness, a proclaimed smile on her face.

Ichigo smiled up at her. "We're both screwed." The shared a laugh as Rukia laid herself next to him, her head resting on his chest. Everything was perfect. The sun was warm and comforting, his scent was intoxicating, and his hand that began scratching her ears was enticing. Too bad she had a question to ask.

"How did it go with the asshole?" Her question made Ichigo stop scratching but only for a second. He resumed in earnest and replied, "He's gone. Police came and everything." He felt Rukia relax even more and curl up against him tighter, her tail slowly surrounding them.

"Too bad. I wanted a piece of him myself." The Nekojin firmly replied. Ichigo could hear the faintest bit of nervousness in her voice. No matter how brave she was that man always caused fear in her. Ichigo wrapped his arms around her and said, "Don't worry, I get the feeling he'll be a prison bitch."

Rukia giggled, "Way to ruin the mood, Dandelion."

Ichigo chuckled and said, "Since I've ruined your precious moment, you think we could head home for dinner?" He waited for her answer as she stretched out next to him. Either she would latch back on to him and they'd be there for a few more hours or she'd agree. He couldn't tell which. The Dandelion was relieved when the Nekojin slowly stood up and stretched her arms above her head.

"You're cooking," The Nekojin said with a grin. "Planned on it." The Dandelion replied with a smile.

He got up to his knees and grabbed her hand. Rukia looks back to him as he takes something from his back pocket, a small box.

Before she could register a reaction, Ichigo took a small object from the box and slipped it onto a very specific finger on a very specific hand. Instantly, Rukia recognized a diamond in the center of the object on her finger, her eyes widened. Ichigo blushed as he looked up at her and said, "I'm no good at proposing so…just say yes and let's go home—" A tiny fist crashed into his face, sending him falling backwards halfway down the hill.

"I refuse!" Rukia shouted at him, her arms folded. Ichigo jumped up and shouted, "W-What! Why?" Rejection filled his being until she grinned back at him.

"You can't demand things of me! You need to ask…" A slight blush spread across her face, her ears flattened and her tail nervously swished behind her. Ichigo instantly smiled and kneeled in front of her again.

"Rukia…will you marry me?"

This time a foot hit the side of his head, toppling him to the ground. "What the hell, Midget? I asked this time!" Rukia pounced on his chest, knocking the wind from him as she grinned in his face. Abruptly, she kissed him and pulled back, smiling joyfully.

"I just wanted to kick you." She informed him. Ichigo sighed deeply but noticed her eyeing the diamond ring on her finger affectionately.

Nervously he asked, "Is that a 'yes'?" His hopeful tone kind of stung but Rukia only stuck her tongue out at him and replied, "Do I have an alternative?"

Ichigo grabbed her face and pulled it close to his, their noses almost touching. Rukia eyes widened as he reached behind her and gently rubbed her ears before saying, "Just say 'yes', Midget." Rukia was lost in the world of his eyes and the pleasure of having her ears rubbed. Ichigo felt her tail affectionately wrap around his waist as she smiled at him.

"Just this once…" she passionately kissed him and reluctantly pulled back. "Yes…Ichigo." The Dandelion smiled wider than she'd ever seen and he pulled her lips to his. He rubbed her ears and stroked her tail as they kissed. When they pulled back, Rukia smirked at him.

"I thought I told you…no groping my tail!" She smacked him on the head but he lightly smacked her back and replied, "You said the right was reserved for you future husband. You have only yourself to blame." Rukia wanted to scowl at him but he gently stroked her tail and massaged her ears, making her purr like a kitten.

The Nekojin pushed off him and stood up, elegantly jumping away from him. "You're still cooking!" she shouted with a smile plastered on her face. She took off toward their apartment with great speed. Ichigo also jumped up and chased after her, shouting, "Only because you don't know how!"

Ichigo soon caught up to her and gripped her hand in his. Their run became a jog, then, a strut, and finally a slow pace walk. Rukia's ears and tail danced with excitement and Ichigo smiled his sunlit smile down at her.

No matter what anyone says…they really were the same.

* * *

><p>To Be Concluded…<p>

The next chapter is the very last. Enjoy it!

Please Review and keep on smiling!


	26. Epilogue

We're The Same

Epilogue

Disclaimer: I own no rights to Bleach or Nekojin. Although, I praise the creators as geniuses.

* * *

><p>Ten Years Later…<p>

A mother and her small boy walked into a distinguished clinic next to Urahara's Candy Shop. The child coughed as the mother approached the receptionist. "Excuse me? I was wondering if we could schedule an appointment?" From behind the desk, a short, raven haired, violet eyed, Nekojin stood up and smiled.

She pressed a button on the desk and said, "Dr. Kurosaki. We have a walk in…" Moments after she said that, a man with bright orange hair opened his door and walked out. The doctor smiled down at the mother and said, "What's the trouble?"

"My son's been coughing for a few weeks. I-I don't have the money for an appointment right now but…"

The orange haired man looked at the small boy and smiled. "If it takes less than an hour, it's free. That's our policy." He leaned down to the boy and grinned, making the boy laugh. "I figure we can fit you in before an hour goes by." The mother's eyes widen as the doctor directed them into the examination room.

"Dr. Kurosaki, a moment." The Nekojin receptionist politely said. The bright headed man turned back and closed the door to the examination room, leaving him alone with the catwoman. A tiny fist embedded itself in his stomach and he grunted loudly. "How are we gonna pay bills if you keep doing these things for free?" The Nekojin proclaimed.

"Dammit, Midget! We're doing fine for this month. Besides, the kid could be really sick…" Rukia smashed her foot onto his and he held in a yelp.

Rukia glared up at him and said, "If I didn't like that selfless attitude of yours I'd of left you by now, Dandelion." Ichigo grinned down at her and slipped his hand onto her ears, rubbing slightly. Rukia's mood instantly lightened and she let a small purr erupt from her throat.

"How about I cook fish for dinner tonight?" Ichigo offered, making Rukia's ears perk up higher and her tail swish with excitement. "Bribe accepted." She answered him with a smile on her catlike face. Ichigo leaned down and gave her a quick kiss before turning back to his patients, leaving Rukia to manage the desk.

For years to come, stories of a respectable clinic with a cute little Nekojin and a tall orange haired man spread throughout Tokyo.

* * *

><p>The End<p>

It's been a good run and I've enjoyed every minute of it! A special thanks goes out to my wonderful beta reader – Vi0letButterfly – You helped make all this possible. Thank You!

And another big thank you to all of you wonderful readers and reviewers! I write for me but share my stories for all of you! Your encouragement and advice is well appreciated and thoughtful. Thanks for accompanying me on this wonder tale of love and comedy!

Please Review and please check my profile for more stories coming soon from the Hunter of Comedy and his beta Vi0letButterfly!


End file.
